SOS
by mackenzie925
Summary: Chlark It's been two years since Clark and Chloe spoke to each other. Though estranged now, Chloe still comes back to Smallville, desperate for his help. But do either know what dangers await them? Or what feelings might resurface?
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE: S.O.S.**

**Rating: **PG-13 … to be safe.

**Pairing: **Completely Chloe and Clark.I'm a Chlark fan, through and through.

**Spoilers: **Just season four, I guess. But it's mainly a futurefic.

**Author's Note: **Here is my current writing in progress. It's a futurefic. I hope all of you enjoy it. It will have many parts, so more will be posted soon. Reviews are definitely welcome!

_**Chapter 1: The Name of the Game  
Part 1**_

_Smallville. _Chloe could hardly believe she was back here again, driving down its quiet streets that never looked foreign to her. Despite her two-year hiatus, moving around this small town was still easy to do. The many years she spent here, living here, investigating here ensured she would never forget its layout. _No matter how hard I try_, Chloe mused. Furthermore, nothing changed. Main Street, the very street she was driving slowly down at the moment, looked exactly the same. Well, not exactly the same. A few storefronts changed a bit, and new sidewalks put in place gave the town a more modern feel to it.

But, overall, the storybook setting still remained true to form.

_Storybook setting_ … _if the world only knew_, Chloe thought to herself, amusement shading her small smile. Granted, much of Smallville was nice, quiet, serene, perhaps even the very place to raise children. Yet to count the numerous times Chloe herself was in danger while here, not including her friends, would scare anyone off in seconds.

"Not something they want in the brochure," Chloe whispered to herself, recounting all the scary moments she endured in Smallville. Meanwhile, she let her eyes gaze at the many people who occupied the streets, half of which probably had no idea of everything that she saw during her stay here. The many things that no one should have to see in their lifetime.

If anything, many of the people in this town were friendly.

The sunset blanketed the entire region in a soft amber hue, quite the contrast to the gray convertible Chloe pioneered through the town. Such contrast only served as a reminder to the life she lived now – so different from the youth spent in Smallville. Her career as a reporter quickly turned prosperous, allowing her to live in a nice apartment, buy expensive things, and carry herself as a growing name in Metropolis.

But so much still lay buried, beneath the façade of success. _So much_ …

Chloe finally reached the outskirts of town, her actions automatic as she drove to the place she needed to be. Passing by cornfield after cornfield, Chloe could only smile at the numerous memories that flooded back to the forefront of her mind. Many she kept close to her heart, while others she wished to forget. The spring formal seemed to be the first to reveal itself again, a memory that came so close to perfection.

As she came closer to her destination, the memories increased and became stronger. So much so that Chloe knew she could never really deny the past she spent here, especially when it was still so much apart of her who she has become.

Only a minute or so later, Chloe drove down a familiar dirt road and parked her car in the huge driveway at the back of the house, in one way assuming nothing had changed in the two years since she was last here. _Of course she can just drive up, park in her normal spot, and basically walk right into the house as if it was hers … as if she belonged there._

Needless to say, Chloe felt the appropriate actions fell in the category of a lost acquaintance, one who needed to ring the bell to even gain access back into this life.

With a worried sigh, Chloe got out of the corvette and closed the door behind her. Every step on the dirt ground below her feet crackled, footsteps she was sure would give away her sudden appearance here. Yet, the closer she got to the porch, nothing moved to indicate someone knew a visitor arrived. In fact, everything stayed eerily silent. If Chloe wasn't such an intrepid, curious, sometimes risky reporter, maybe the quiet air might have scared her off.

_I'm much too seasoned for a hasty reaction like that_, Chloe reasoned with a satisfied smile.

As she stepped on each creaky porch step, the porch swing glided softly with each gentle breeze. Chloe immediately thought of the last night she spent in that very swing, a conversation she wished sorely to forget. The very night she vowed to never come back here, to never let her heart love again. To never take a chance that would only leave her in utter dismay and confusion.

Struggling to force that night out of her mind, Chloe knocked on the door a few times. An action which brought her back to the here and now, away from disturbing memories that didn't need to be dug up right now. So much more was at stake, and that was the only reason why she continued on, fought her inner fears, her demons. She needed to do this, and it wasn't at all for herself. _Not at all_.

When her first knock didn't arise action, she knocked again. Yet the same silence answered, which only arose Chloe's curiosity. Stepping to the window beside her, she gazed in, seeing the kitchen a little more messy than usual. With a soft smile, Chloe recalled another instance when this kitchen was a battlefield of World War III … the impromptu party Clark had in freshmen year. It's only purpose to wow Lana Lang.

In the end, Clark's parents grounded him for at least two weeks.

The memory itself heightened Chloe's senses, and almost in response, she heard footsteps behind her, crackling on the ground just below the porch. Immediately the steps made her stiffen in anticipation, eager to hear the words that might come first. Because it had been so long ago … at least, it seemed to be. A lifetime, really. And any sane person would conclude that the only reason Chloe showed up again was for a personal request.

And that was something she couldn't deny.

"Do you make it a habit to peer into other people's houses?" the voice asked, slight annoyance lacing his words.

Chloe, for some reason, sensed that he didn't recognize her. Because she found it hard to believe, even with everything they went through and all the pain they caused each other, that he would react in such an outwardly hostile way. Past friendship should mean something here, shouldn't it?

Though she really didn't want to, Chloe turned around to face him. Immediately, her thoughts were confirmed by the shocked look on his face. And with a nervous smile, she greeted casually, "Hi, Clark."

**_Thanks for reading! _**

**_More to come …_**

_**Reviews welcome!** _


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is part two of Chapter One. Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers thus far! **

**-----------------------------------**

**Chapter 1 – _The Name of the Game_ **

**Part 2: **

"Chloe," Clark breathed in disbelief, unable to hide his surprise even if he tried. Because it had been so long ago since they last saw each other. And in a way, he didn't even think he would see her again. Especially after all that happened between them before she left for good. Considering all the hurt and pain they caused each other, some of which he has yet really truly forgiven, Clark had to admire her fortitude. Or perhaps her foolishness.

Needless to say, whatever brought her back to Smallville must be quite important.

Honestly, however, just seeing her again, Clark couldn't tell how he felt. He thought of this often, what it would be like to see her far into his life. Maybe long enough in the future to give him some time to cool off. And even then, he wondered what he would say and what he would do if confronted by all of it once again, after so long.

If he could even look into her eyes again.

Chloe kept her smile strong, unwilling to let anything that Clark might say break her determination to be here. That, above all, was most important. "Yeah, it's me," she said quietly, simply, tugging her small purse over her right shoulder just a little tighter. Already she could see Clark's confusion, perhaps a hint of frustration that Chloe even dared to show her face again. But that was something she needed to ignore.

Before the pain, the hurt … their friendship meant everything. And Chloe needed to remind him of that.

Clark gazed down a bit as he walked to the foot of the porch steps. He stopped there, a bit hesitant to start this conversation. What he had with Chloe was always special, especially the last week or so before everything went chaotic. Often he found himself falling back to that small week, seemingly so insignificant in the span of a lifetime. Yet it always kept his anger from getting out of control. Kept the good aspects of his friendship with Chloe at the edge of his heart.

He placed a hand on the wood railing of the steps and traced his palm softly along its rough texture. With a sigh, he finally gazed up at her, squinting against the strong, yet dying ray of sun as it began its slow descent behind the far off horizon. And he asked the only question that seemed appropriate, willing to humor her. Anger wouldn't solve anything right now. "What are you doing here?"

Chloe shrugged lightly, looked past him and across the Kent Farm, before she responded, "Came to see how you were holding up." Which was true. After the information she heard from Lana this past week, Clark would need every friend he could get. Even if that meant resurrecting a dying friendship for a good cause. _A few causes, actually, _Chloe reminded herself. As if she could forget.

Clark nodded and ascended the porch steps to stand in front of her. "I'm doing all right," he insisted quietly, placing his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans.

Immediately Chloe felt her heart race a little, his presence so close, so overwhelming. He always did look good in worn jeans and a white T-shirt, even if they were stained with a day's work. That just gave him character. Something that always attracted her to him, and always would. Clark worked hard, strove to do his best, saved people's lives all the time, always in action during a problem.

"Do you mind if we go inside and talk?" Chloe asked, gesturing towards the closed door. What she needed to say was probably best said inside and sitting down.

Clark nodded absently as he gazed up at the now darkening sky, and not just by the turn of day to night, but also by clouds. The large, gray masses that only bring rain and storms. "I think that's a good idea," he conceded, looking to her with a smile he didn't think he could give. Maybe he wouldn't admit it, but Chloe still was one of the cutest girls he ever knew. Her eyes always twinkled, despite her mood. And her smile could make him smile when he didn't want to. She just often affected people in that way.

But despite all the good feelings that returned when he thought of Chloe, the pain was never too far behind. A plague on their friendship, one that seemed certain to bring death to whatever life in their friendship still existed. Chloe's appearance here, however, seemed not only odd and unexpected, but perhaps even the cure to what seemed lost and forgotten. Maybe there was hope.

Clark opened the door to his house, and immediately stepped into the very messy kitchen. To no surprise, he walked straight to the refrigerator. "Would you like something to drink? Lemonade?"

It took Chloe a second to realize he was talking to her. Almost instantly her thoughts started to flash back through all the memories she and Clark shared here together. The late night study sessions, the all night movie marathons, the endless summer nights near the lake. The latter of which eventually led them back here, soaked by either the lake or the thunderstorms that have always been a frequent characteristic of the summer season in Smallville.

Shaking such memories from the forefront of her mind, Chloe turned to him with a light smile. "I would love some." Maybe the drink would take away the dryness in her throat.

Clark nodded and took the pitcher of lemonade out of the fridge and set it on the small island in the middle of the kitchen. Immediately Chloe sat on a stool to that island, awaiting the lemonade, as well as gaining the strength needed for this. Of course, what brought her here was important. Chloe knew that once she disclosed her reasons for coming here, Clark would understand. But anything could be said and discussed between now and then.

Chloe took the glass of lemonade Clark handed to her, unwilling to go on with this conversation without saying what needed to be said right now. For her support to be out there, no matter what conditions still lay between them. "Clark," she began quietly as she set her drink down and looked up to him, "I just want to say that I'm sorry …about your father."

Clark set the pitcher of lemonade down next to him, his eyes gazing down a bit before he let them drift to Chloe. And with a hint of bitterness, he asked, "Who told you? Lex?"

"No, Lana," Chloe responded, her own bitterness returning full front, "Remember, we're roommates?" She chose to continue, and chose to ignore Clark's mood, "Anyway, I'm sorry I couldn't be at the funeral."

"I know," Clark insisted angrily. "You had work to do. You always had work to do. By the way, how is The Daily Planet? It was your dream, wasn't it?"

Chloe sighed, feeling the pressure of their continuous argument rising between them once again. It didn't take long, and already she had an urge to walk out right now, willing to take on her problem by herself. However, with the problem involving someone else, someone she couldn't bear to lose, Clark and everything that came with him was sorely needed. No matter how much she wished it wasn't true. "It's fine," she insisted, biting back her anger as she watched him turn away from her. "I didn't come here to do this again, Clark. Because we both know that no one wins, no matter how hard you try to play the innocent farm boy routine."

Clark turned at that, his eyes glazed with repressed anger. "Fine, so why did you come here?"

"I came here," Chloe began, lessening her anger little by little in the face of what was most important, "to recruit you."

Already Clark let his face turn to utter confusion, and asked, "Recruit me? For what?"

Chloe sighed again, already sensing this might have been a bad idea. Yet he was the best choice right now. And time was critical. Every second counted. "I know we haven't gotten along well at all in the past couple of years. Hardly the psychological example of a good relationship. But, um …" she admitted, hesitating slightly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass, "I thought we worked so well together in high school and college. And the case I'm working on right now could use our infamous teamwork." The last said with a slight smile, her eyes looking to him and seeing the anger soak away from his features.

Clark remembered that time; high school with The Torch and college in the journalism department and newspaper together. They did work well together, and often enough solved cases when others could not. Willing to admit supernatural happenings related to meteor rock exposure became a label they carried much through high school, and certainly college. And those explanations seemed at the forefront of most of the cases they solved together.

They always worked closely for The Torch, but in college they seemed extra close. Their time together only increased the unresolved sexual tension, which seemed minimal in high school due to his vision locked mainly on Lana Lang. When college came, and rarely seeing Lana, his attraction changed from the brunette, next door neighbor, to his best friend. And all throughout, both he and Chloe hinted at wanting more from each other. But never did they act on their desires.

_Well, not until …_

"What's the case?" Clark asked. If Chloe came all the way here for his assistance on some case, it must be either dangerous or very important. Perhaps he could look past his own problems with her for the greater good, assuming this case needed both of their intervention.

Chloe explained, "Well, first off, I know you still work for The Ledger, right?"

"Yeah," Clark reassured. "On and off since my father …". But he couldn't finish it, didn't want to. She knew what he meant, and it didn't require him to fall back into the abyss of despair and loss. Just the word itself did that to him.

Chloe nodded, quickly interrupting, "We can split the story, each take the byline."

Clark smiled in return, asking once again, "Okay, but what's the case?" He could feel her avoiding this question, and it must be for a reason. Perhaps the very reason that brought her here in the first place.

She put her hands together, looking to them first before she continued her explanation, "Do you know all of those random accidents in Metropolis lately?" Clark nodded, urging her to continue. "Well," Chloe began, slipping off of the stool to walk a little closer to him, "Lois discovered they weren't accidents."

"You mean they were staged?" Clark asked in a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

Chloe nodded affirmatively, and pressed further, "The subway accident, the huge fire, the massive 24 car pile up … all of it, staged."

"How do you know?"

"Lois has been investigating them since they began. Has quite a file, and quite a list of witnesses and evidence to support her unpopular theory," Chloe explained hesitantly.

Clark took a small sip from his lemonade, trying desperately to digest what Chloe was actually telling him. All of those people, so many that died, would actually be considered victims of murder. Murder on a very high scale. Just that thought alone sickened him. Not only that, but Clark knew agonizingly well what might have happened had he been there. So what if someone saw him use his powers? The hundreds killed could have been saved per his efforts. "So what do you want from me?"

Chloe kept her smile to a minimum, sensing she had successfully convinced him to aid her. Despite their problems, this case was most important. "Well, you know me, Kent. Not knowing where this will take me, it helps to have you watching my back," she insisted gently.

Clark huffed and replied in annoyance, "Ah, I see why you need me. All you want our my powers to cover your six." Which was just as true now as it was then. Only in college did Clark finally realize that Chloe knew of his special powers, and had known for some time. Which didn't surprise him considering she was a reporter. Honestly, he was happy that she kept it to herself not only from the press but also from him. In some respects, it did convince him that she was devoted to their friendship.

Yet, at the moment, he wished she didn't know. Because it made him wonder how often this would happen. How often would she come to him and need his 'help'?

"That's not all I need from you. And you should know me better than that, no matter how much you loathe me right now," Chloe insisted, her voice rising more than she wanted it to. Getting angry with him would not help her cause.

"But why not get someone else to help you? Like that partner you've been working with at the Planet?" Clark asked, his own anger rising. "I still don't understand why you need me, if not for what I can do. Your ability to put your nose where doesn't belong has always been a problem, one I don't care to support."

Chloe folded her arms casually, knowing he had every reason to believe her intentions were for nothing but herself. But he knows her better than that. Granted, her curiosity has gotten her into more trouble than she'd like to admit. But that's not what this is about, a fact she needed to prove to him. "My own partner is unavailable right now. Plus, I think you're going to want to help," she insisted further, arising curiosity in Clark's features.

And, rightly so, Clark asked, "Why?"

This was it. Why? Why did Chloe come here? Why did she need Clark's help and no one else?

Because she knew Clark would do everything he could to help her. Especially when she told him the truth. And, with a quick sigh, her eyes melting into his, looking for comfort, Chloe answered quietly, "Because Lois is missing."

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**_End of update_**

**_More to come …_**

_**Reviews welcome:-)**  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks to tall who have been reading and reviewing! I hope everyone has enjoyed this story so far.  So much more is to come. **

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**Chapter 1: The Name of the Game**

**Part 3**

The skies above Metropolis bore the same dark clouds as those in Smallville only hours before. Chloe parked her car in the three story garage set aside for the occupants of the apartment building that sat just a few feet away. The garage offered quite a convenience in a city such as Metropolis, which held a much higher crime rate than most cities in the United States. She loved this city, grew up in this city, and was born in this city. But there were days Chloe anxiously held her breath while walking from her car to the elevator that, after few more hallways, eventually led into her apartment building.

_After what happened to Lois … I think I have new reasons to be suspicious of everything_, Chloe thought, as she turned the car off, gathered her purse and keys, and opened the door to climb out. Though the temperature felt humid, just as every July in Metropolis, the harsh weather did not let up a bit. Lightening lit up the sky in a bright yellow, the shapes of numerous dark clouds illuminated in short seconds of time. Chloe quickened her actions, as the weather grew harsher. In seconds, she set her car alarm and began walking the short distance between her car and the elevator door. The click of her shoes on the cement echoed across the huge, seemingly empty space of the garage, deafening.

Chloe's mind drifted a bit as she fell into the routine paces from her car to her apartment. Her trip, to some extent, was successful. After she disclosed to Clark her true reasons for showing up in Smallville after so long, he raced out the door to perform a _thorough_ inspection of the surrounding area. Of course, Chloe grabbed him just a few seconds before he left, ensuring him that for the past four days and sleepless nights, that is all she has been doing with no success. _Searching …_

And if it was as easy as asking Clark Kent, _the boy who could fly_, to do a few laps, maybe Chloe would've used the phone instead.

_But deep down … I know it's not that easy. Whatever happened to Lois, it's serious. And it'll take serious investigation to find a needle in a haystack, _Chloe reasoned inwardly, striking the button to her floor in the elevator.

Of course, how did she expect Clark to react? Say, _"Okay, what do you want me to do to help?_" This would not be that easy, either. Chloe Sullivan, a top investigative reporter for The Daily Planet, who held many different contacts all over the world to help with her numerous stories, could not even locate Lois Lane. Why did Clark Kent think he could? Despite his own super powers?

Before Clark could break free from her grip to keep him grounded until he heard everything she had to say, Chloe gave him the address to her apartment in Metropolis, and insisted he go there when his search was unsuccessful.

To her surprise, Clark promised he would show up.

After only a few minutes, Chloe faced the door to her apartment, and slowly unlocked it with her key. With an exhausted sigh, she opened it and stepped in, surprised by the sudden image in front of her. The room itself was under darkness, its only illumination the dancing fire, and the flames were bright enough to reveal a lone figure on the couch. The shadows almost hid the figure's face. _Almost. _

With quiet surprise and concern, Chloe asked, "Lana? What are you still doing up? It's almost midnight."

Lana turned from her unwavering vision of the fire to gaze at her best friend, who stood motionless across the room next to the closed door. Lightening flashed violently outside once more, the few seconds giving Lana a look onto Chloe's concerned face. The rain outside filled the void of silence as she searched for the appropriate words for her inner anger. With a disgusted sigh, she stood up, and said softly, "Why didn't you tell me about Lois?"

Chloe felt immediately awkward, aware that her cousin and Lana had developed quite a close friendship over the past few months. Surprising to say the least, but still nice to see. With no Clark, Chloe sensed a kinship was born between herself, Lois, and Lana. As if they all survived the same ordeal, and all came out alive and well. It only increased by the move to Metropolis, which started with Lois interviewing for a job at the Planet more than three years ago. A year after that, Chloe followed suit, and both she and Lois became popular among the Metropolis scene.

Lana, still struggling with her own purpose in life, eventually found herself in Chloe's new apartment as more of a comfort zone to reside in while she studied at Met U.

Chloe nodded with understanding in response to Lana's frustration, aware she kept information at a minimum around her in fear she would worry her for no reason. What her cousin did on her own time was usually none of her business. And when Chloe first discovered Lois was gone, her worry was non-existent, and telling Lana would have been premature. But with no calls, no form of communication by Lois to ensure her friends she was all right since she left, suddenly it became serious.

"I didn't want to get you involved," Chloe admitted, slinging her purse over the coat rack next to the door. The same with her rain soaked coat, as she explained further, "I didn't want to worry you, especially when I didn't know much of Lois' disappearing act myself."

Lana nodded and walked a little closer. "I want to help find her," she insisted with conviction, letting her eyes fall to Chloe's, letting her see how committed she would be to finding her friend.

And though Chloe certainly appreciated the offer, she needed to decline it. "I'm sorry, Lana, but I don't want you involved in this. Who knows where it'll take me …".

"Ever more reason to let me help," Lana pushed lightly, yet the strength in her voice was unmistakable. "You can't do this alone."

Chloe walked up to Lana, now only a few feet away. The fire illuminated her friend's face much better from this short distance, and Chloe knew it would take quite a bit to ensure Lana that she had everything under control. "It's okay, really," she insisted, crossing her arms, "I went to Smallville."

"You what?" Lana asked, aware of what it must've took to do such a thing. From the sidelines she watched Chloe and Clark fight, ruin their friendship and newfound relationship merely two years ago. It took Chloe months to stop crying, months to gain her composure. Months to forgive herself and Clark for what happened. Though they rarely spoke to each other since. Lana seemed to be the messenger between the two during the first few months of the messy break-up, but soon after both were silent.

Lana kept up a decent friendship with Clark. And certainly with Chloe. But it did become surprisingly lonely standing in the middle.

Chloe gazed to the floor, then to the fire as she continued on with a light tone, "Yeah, I went to see him."

Though Lana was still upset with Chloe, her concern outweighed her frustration, "How did it go?"

With a shrug, Chloe answered quietly, "The War of the Worlds didn't start, if that's what you mean." She took a second to let her sarcasm fade, to answer truthfully. Sarcasm was by far her defense mechanism. But she didn't need it with Lana, no matter how often she used it anyway. "I went to him … to get his help."

Lana rubbed her forehead a little before she pointed out, "So, you were willing to go to Clark, the person you haven't talked to in almost two years, for help before coming to me?"

Chloe knew how bad this looked, and knew Lana had every reason to be angry with her. But her reasons were many, not including Clark's unusual gifts and abilities. "Clark and I work well together, even when we hate each other. I just …" Chloe began, stepping a foot closer to emphasize her point, "… it's important to have someone who can predict what I'll do. And vice versa. Finding Lois is top priority, and if it means working with someone like Clark in the interest of efficiency, then … so be it."

"So fine, work with Clark. But let me help," Lana pressed. The three of them could do a lot of damage and cover a lot of ground. One more person would do nothing but help, right?

Chloe shook her head, this time reaching for Lana's hand, "I won't make you follow me on some dangerous crusade. I've already lost one person I cared for … I'm not going to lose you, too."

Lana knew what she spoke of, the partner Chloe teamed up with when she first arrived at the Planet. Only a year ago did the event occur, a moment of pain and loss. Chloe never really forgave herself for what happened. And since then, has worked alone on almost all of her cases. _The destiny she chose for herself would be her own_, Lana reasoned quietly. At least, that was the attitude Chloe brought to the horrible situation. The only way to fix it.

So Chloe's hesitation to let her help was understandable. A hesitation rooted in a personal catastrophe. But this was different. This wasn't just some case that Lana was signing up for. This was a drastic search for a friend. Someone she cared about. And everyone would be needed.

"Don't shut me out of this. You act as if you and Clark are the only ones who can save Lois," Lana argued lightly. Yet it came off a bit harsher than she wanted it to.

Chloe sighed and stepped away. "I'm sorry, Lana. I won't risk you. You can't help this time." The only person she dared risk was Clark, and she only did so because he was virtually impenetrable. Not to mention they did work well together, through their personal anger for each other. That didn't matter right now. All that mattered was getting to Lois.

Lana nodded and turned to grab her purse from the couch nearby. If Chloe wouldn't let her help, than she would find someone else who would. "Fine. I'll see you later," she commented tightly, and walked past her roommate towards the door.

Yet the moment she opened it, Clark stood motionless on the other side, poised to knock. His eyes brightened a bit, and he smiled warmly. They stared at each other for a second, and Lana offered a small smile of her own before pushing past him. "Hi, Clark."

"Lana," Clark said quietly, happy to see her. He almost forgot she lived in the same apartment as Chloe. And seeing her left him a little speechless. _But that seemed to happen a lot, _Clark mused. Every time he saw her, she never ceased to take his breath away. Even though he would always be attracted to Lana, he soon realized they didn't mix well past friendship. Though they tried often enough.

Lana nodded lightly, smiled, gave his forearm a squeeze, and promised quickly, "I'll see you later."

Clark turned to watch her leave, and then turned casually to Chloe, who stood silently in the middle of the room. Their eyes caught for a moment before she walked towards the open kitchen area to the far right. Immediately she turned on the small lamp on the tiny peninsula that jutted out from the wall separating the living room and kitchen. Clark sighed a bit and walked to her, the smell of a candle she just lit a warm comfort in the soaking rain outside.

But he caught himself … _Because I'm not supposed to feel all warm and fuzzy when around Chloe. Not after the nightlong search, not after hearing Lois has disappeared … not after surviving the pain that could not be forgotten._

In an attempt to change the thought process in his head, Clark asked blatantly, with edge, "What was that all about?"

Chloe moved to a cupboard to retrieve a glass, and soon filled it almost to the top with tap water, and with a sigh explained quietly, "I didn't tell her about Lois."

Clark nodded, not quite understanding the entire situation.

In light of this, Chloe illustrated further, "Lana wants to help in our investigation. But I didn't think that was such a good idea … you know, considering our track record of getting into dangerous spots."

Clark huffed slightly, and urged roughly, but with a hint of a smile, "You mean, you're tendency to get into rough spots."

Chloe almost felt a giggle rise in her throat, but she quickly suppressed. No matter how gentle this conversation seemed to be, there was still a large void between them. Crossing it required much more than casual conversation on a rainy night.

As if in response, Clark asked with a slight twinge of annoyance, "You knew I wouldn't find her." At that, Chloe looked up from her water to gaze into his eyes. Any pleasantries that existed at the beginning of this conversation might have just melted away into what would always be left between them; distance, betrayal … _and jealousy_.

Chloe only nodded.

"How? How did you know?" Clark asked, his anger rising slightly as he moved closer to her.

Chloe shrugged, insisting, "I don't know. Reporter's instincts?"

Clark sighed again, this time leaning back against the counter. He looked at the candle that sat next to him, and watched the small light flicker only a tiny bit in the natural air of the room. Before he came here, no matter if he found Lois or not, his decision to stay away from Chloe would hold true. Granted, he wanted to find Lois. But he wanted to do it his way, with no Chloe distraction whatsoever. His way would be faster.

Yet tonight, with not even a glimmer of success in his search, Clark knew to find Lois meant working with Chloe again, despite his reservations. A thought that certainly arose the pain again, which always waited patiently at the edge of his heart. Deep in his soul, however, he felt a twinge of light that flickered weakly in his sadness. A flicker of light he almost let die out completely. A flicker that offered hope of revival for a friendship, though he wouldn't admit it, he sorely missed.

"Okay," Clark began quietly, "what do we do now?"

Chloe bit back her smile slightly, and responded with confidence, "Well, tomorrow we're going to Lois' apartment to retrieve our only life line."

"And tonight?" Clark asked.

"Tonight, we crash. You can sleep on the couch, if you want. I'd hate to have you zipping around so late at night," Chloe offered, unable to hide a soft smile.

Clark almost smiled himself, and replied with a nod, "Sure." He watched her walk away, into the living room towards the fire. And for once, he didn't see the pain.

For once …

He saw only her.

Lex stood at the huge window of his office that looked down upon the busy city of Metropolis. The limited time of solitude was always welcomed in his life. His only companion was the light classical music that drifted from the speakers of his stereo. A blanket of serenity, really. The only activity to calm him, take him away from the busy corporate world that defined his life so often now.

But this moment would not last.

"Mr. Luthor," called a voice from the door, which Lex didn't realize had opened.

With an exhausted sigh, he responded harshly, "What else could possibly need my attention tonight?"

His assistant took a second before he informed quietly, "You have a visitor, sir."

_A visitor? This late at night? _"Send them in." His curiosity alone urged him to see who would possibly need him tonight.

And once his assistant backed away, Lana Lang entered and walked right up to his desk. A little hesitantly, but yet with an unwavering strength. That just interested him all the more, and as he turned his music off, he asked with concern, "Lana? Is everything all right?"

Lana took a second, a breath, and then asked, "I assume you know that Lois is missing."

Lex knew then why she had come. He nodded and slipped his hands in his pockets, walking up to his desk to face his longtime friend. A person he would do anything for, would risk his life for. Whatever she wanted, he gave it to her. This would be no exception. "Of course," he reassured, walking around his desk to her side of it. "I have my own investigators looking for her."

"They don't seem to be doing a good job. Your Daily Planet sells out day after day because of her articles. I expected a cavalry," Lana snapped.

Lex huffed slightly, and added, "Well, it's not that easy."

Lana nodded and stepped away a bit, giving them both space as she informed, "Chloe and Clark are on it now."

At that, Lex's eyes grew, his shock evident in his features. The last name he expected to hear was Clark Kent. Back after so long. Yet, Lex should expect him to arrive without his knowledge. Did he really expect his old friend to come up to his office and say _"Hey, what's up?" _Yeah, right. It's been too long, too much water under the bridge to allow something like that. "Really? I didn't expect that. Especially after what happened between them."

"I wanted to help them," Lana continued, deciding to ignore his comments for the moment, "… but they didn't want me involved."

Lex leaned back against his desk casually, in one way letting his friend vent a little. Lana rarely came to him for help, but when she did it was often serious. Mostly she came with a chasm of trouble and worry that only he could fix with his influence, and, sometimes, money. At the moment, he sensed another such instance. "It will be dangerous. And if they want to investigate themselves, I won't stop them. Especially Chloe, one of my best reporters."

Lana turned away from him for a second, and then turned back, her eyes deep with sadness for her friend, so lost and missing. "Just let me help with your investigation. I really think I can add a lot. Especially since I know Lois so well," she explained, half pleaded.

Lex wanted her help, but a heavy burden lay on his heart. One of wonderment and concern to what might be really driving Lana. Where this all might lead her, perhaps to a place she won't expect. "It's okay to let Chloe and Clark go after her. Or my investigators. You don't need to get involved."

"But I want to," Lana pushed further. "And you're going to help me."

Lex smiled faintly, and nodded. _Okay, maybe I can do this_. _Maybe she and I, working together, can find Lois just as easily as anyone else. _"All right," he promised, and asked, "Where did you want to start? You seem to have some idea."

"Security cameras," Lana explained with a smile, stepping up to him.

Lex walked back around his desk, and informed with deflated hope, "I hope you plan on spending the night, because that'll take days."

Lana smiled sweetly. "Then let's get started."

**_The winter here's cold, and bitter  
It's chilled us to the bone  
We haven't seen the sun for weeks  
To long too far from home_**

Clark sat on the small windowsill, his eyes gazing at the stars that finally re-emerged after the huge storm. The same stars he watched through his youth. The same stars he wished on for hope, for strength, for love. And yet, so much has changed since the last time he looked through his telescope so long ago. Changes that kept him up at night, every night really.

**_I feel just like I'm sinking  
and I claw for solid ground  
I'm pulled down by the undertow  
I never thought I could feel so low  
oh darkness I feel like letting go_**

He thought of his father now, his heart pounding in his chest from the overwhelming sadness. It gripped him so often now, as if it would never let him go. His mother had dealt with the loss well, and in fact, found a place with relatives for the past few weeks to ease her own pain. Though she offered him to come with her, Clark felt a dire need to deal with this alone.

**_if all of the strength and all of the courage  
come and lift me from this place  
I know I could love you much better than this  
full of grace  
full of grace  
my love_**

Because all his life, he dealt with all of it alone.

All the powers he had, and none of them could save his father. None of them could ease his pain.

Tonight Clark felt the darkness surround him, the stars outside the only light to illuminate his way home. And maybe his travels led him here, maybe his pain brought him to an old friend he rarely thought of. An old friend who may have hurt him, but often enough eased him in his darkest moments. Comforted him like no other. Why he pushed her away still, he didn't know. He knew he has yet forgiven her completely, if at all.

**_so it's better this way, I said  
having seen this place before  
where everything we said and did  
hurts us all the more_**

But maybe now was the time to let her back in. To fight his pain, to let his heart welcome in the one person he missed the most.

The person he has always missed.

What Clark did not realize, what he neglected to see, was the figure watching him through a hidden doorway in the darkness of the night. So caught up in his thoughts, he never sensed this other presence. Her face conflicted with numerous emotions, from the need to comfort, from the need to back away.

**_its just that we stayed, too long  
in the same old sickly skin  
I'm pulled down by the undertow  
I never thought I could feel so low  
oh darkness I feel like letting go_**

All Chloe could really do was watch him. Wish so much was different between them. Wish she could rewind her life back two years, change all that went wrong. In a moment such as this, she saw herself walking up to him. Reach her hand to him, ignore all the voices that told her not to cross this line again. Give him comfort in a time of need. Let him hug her, melt into her. _Take his pain away._

**_if all of the strength  
and all of the courage  
come and lift me from this place_**

Love him the way she wanted to. Love him in the way he needed most.

Yet she stood still. Watched him from afar. And could only wish for her universe to realign.

To never let go of him ever again.

**_I know I could love you much better than this  
full of grace  
full of grace  
my love_**

With a small, faint smile, Chloe studied his face once more. She wished so much was different. Her heart ached for a time lost, forgotten. For a love so awesome, so amazing, and yet so fragile.

Perhaps so unstable.

So unsure.

Chloe backed away into her bedroom again, silently, unheard. And prayed for tomorrow to come soon.

-----------------------------

_End of update_

_End of chapter_

_More to come … _


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Here is the next section. Now the story goes into the next chapter, and this is the first section of it. Thanks so much for all of your support and reviews! **_

**Chapter 2: One of Us**

**Part 1**

With the new day came sunshine, so bright and warm, and a complete contrast to the dangerous weather of the night before. Chloe barely slept throughout the night, though. In fact, she stayed up and watched the rain. Its drizzle quickly became the only comfort to her morbid thoughts, which concentrated mainly on Lois. Not that losing sleep should be anything new for her. Whether she worried about Lois, Lana, or even Clark, who recently entered her concerns, nothing changed much.

Not since losing her partner, by far the lowest of the low, did Chloe experience a full night of rest. Some days she thought it might be too much. Like she could never handle the responsibility of causing something so horrible. A downfall that soon convinced Chloe of a new calling in life. Not just journalism, but stories that took her across the world. Stories that led her into dangerous spots over and over again. Stories she did alone, with no one else.

Lana soon discovered this new calling was only a masquerade, which eloquently hid Chloe's real act of running away from her problems. Often she questioned Chloe about it. Silence was usually her answer, because anything else would give away too much. And each new case Chloe took on, each new crusade led her further away from every demon she needed to face. And that was actually how she wanted it to be.

_Because I refuse to drag someone with me … drag them into my problems, into my dreams … into my pitfalls, _Chloe thought inwardly, her steps soft on the carpet of the hallway in the apartment building.

Behind her, Clark remained silent and in concentration, his eyes absorbing all that lay before him. In fact, silence was all that stood between the two of them at the moment, the only conversation that filled the enormous abyss, deep and insurmountable. They talked only on a formal level, though Chloe would never forget what she the night before. It almost caused her to forget her own problems, and dwell on the darkness in the soul of the man behind her.

The dire need to reach out and help seemed overwhelming. And somehow, despite her own reservations, Chloe wanted to find a way to ease his pain. In any way that would suffice.

Yet the voice that whispered to her from behind was nothing save confrontational and rough, as Clark asked, "So what are we looking for exactly?"

Chloe tried to remember the pleasantries they shared the night before, but his abrasiveness refused to let her forget the hurt feelings still predominate in their relationship … _or lack thereof_. "A disk, Mr. Kent," she responded formerly, so absently and distance as to suggest that nothing lay unsolved between the two of them. No pain, no hurt, and, most specifically, no love.

Clark nodded and gazed around nervously. The hallway, dripped in rich tints of blue and black, almost took his mind away from the task at hand. In fact, it made him a bit dizzy, the shades of the wall to the wood trim a maze of color. He admittedly was impressed not only by Lois' apartment building, but also by Chloe's. Their work at the Daily Planet was certainly rewarding, and not just on a personal level.

Yet before Clark could comment to Chloe on her good fortune, the door to Lois' apartment appeared ahead of them, immediately around the corner.

The door to which lay just ajar.

"I locked the door before I left a few days ago," Chloe whispered, mostly to herself, as she halted her steps and Clark's with a hand gently to his arm.

Clark heard her clearly, however, and responded in a confident, low tone, "Then stay back. Let me go first." He gestured for her to stay in the same spot as he proceeded towards the threat up ahead.

His light, yet soft, quick footsteps matched that of his own heartbeat. Not from fear, particularly, but from the adrenaline that came every time he faced a problem such as this. In moments he stood just a few inches from the open door, allowing his eyes to illuminate the room just beyond in a way only he could. Quickly his vision turned everything to X-ray, looking carefully for any hiding, moving skeletons in the room just before him.

The scan, however, came up empty.

With a small sigh, Clark pushed the door open a little further. Though he still did not see anyone, nor did he hear anyone pop up from some unknown spot unexpected, he did discover a huge mess. In fact, the entire apartment was completely trashed, glass broken, chair cushions turned over, and clothes strewn aimlessly all over the floor. Clark looked back to find Chloe, only to realize she now stood right up against him. Her presence intoxicating, overwhelming.

_How did she get to me so quickly? And without me noticing? _Clark asked himself, a bit amused. _A reporter like no other._

"I thought I told you to stay back," Clark snapped, ignoring his inner admiration of the woman before him. Admiration, though good and a step forward towards a renewed friendship, still did not cancel out his anger.

Chloe insisted sharply, "When I didn't see you race in, guns blazing, I thought it was safe."

"I don't have 'guns'," Clark argued in return, in a harsh whisper as he opened the door completely.

Though Chloe wanted to return his comment with one of her own, the sight of the apartment in front of her refused to let her speak at all. Never did she expect this, despite her own conclusions that through this mystery, they were certain to face problems. This came at the wrong time, in a moment where they needed something positive over the negativity of losing Lois.

Clark sighed heavily; aware of the possible setback this may bring them. "I'm guessing Lois wasn't this messy," he chided softly.

"Hardly," Chloe replied under her breath, moving into the apartment slowly. Her steps came carefully, lightly, as if afraid to move any further. So delicate the situation has become, not only because they seemed to be facing something bigger than just finding Lois, but also whatever they were searching for may be, in fact, gone. Already grabbed by the same people who tore up the apartment. "I hope it's still here."

Clark looked over the chaos, aware that the search might take a few hours to do thoroughly, even with his abilities. That was assuming that the disk was still here at all. And only now did he realize the true sensitivity of this case, it's players, and those who found the truth, as Lois obviously did. "Any suggestions of where to look first?" Clark asked, as he bent down to pick up a couch cushion and set it in its original place.

Chloe concentrated on Lois, on the way she reported, on her ability to gather so much information in a short period of time. In this instance, this case meant everything to her, a fact Chloe did not realize until it was too late. She often cursed herself for not paying more attention to Lois' actions, especially in concern of this particular case and its dangerous direction. But many reporters, when blinded by the fervor of truth, will often find themselves in a place they did not expect.

But how was she supposed to know how deep Lois got herself? Especially when she was so secretive when it concerned her work?

"It's still here somewhere," Chloe declared confidently, immediately turning around, desperately absorbing the apartment, minus the mess. In the letter left to her by Lois, she mentioned the disk and implied it was safe. But Lois had to figure that her investigation would eventually attract attention from not just her cousin, but from those who now have her captive. Which meant she did exactly what Chloe would have done; hide it, and hide it well.

Cliché aside, Lois would never put all of her eggs in one basket.

"Where exactly?" Clark asked, concern and interest replacing the antagonism from before.

Chloe smirked and gazed at him. "Why don't you _'look'_, flyboy? My guess is that she buried it in the walls or the floorboard. Reporters' Instinct 101. You'll see it much better than I will."

Clark shook his head, aware that any attempt to be genuinely cordial may be matched head on by Chloe's own abrasive sarcasm. So in response, he pointed out roughly, "Don't you think that the people who took Lois may have found where she hid it? They're professionals, they would know where to look."

"Do you see any of the walls or floorboards torn into?" Chloe shot back quickly, lifting an eyebrow, daring him to challenger her theory further. "Maybe they didn't have enough time. Or maybe they really didn't know how much Lois really new. Either way, I think its still here."

Clark nodded, an annoyed sigh releasing from his lips. Past experiences with Chloe should have taught him to be careful when they argue. Often enough, she needed to have the final word. But at least half the time, he tended to be right. At the moment, however, the only way to prove his point was to find the disk. Or rather, _not_ find it.

"Will you please just …humor me?" Chloe asked, this time said more as a plea rather than with the usual hint of sarcasm.

Clark took a second before giving in and shifting his vision to X-Ray. They should at least look, because Chloe was right about one thing; none of the walls or the floors seemed to be touch. Which actually seemed a bit odd considering those looking for the disk, if that was indeed what they were looking for, would search every possible location. _Even if it meant destruction on any level, _Clark concluded.

He circled the room carefully, and once he did not see anything to arouse his suspicions, he moved to the bedroom. In minutes of his search, just before he convinced himself that there was nothing to find, Clark spotted a rectangular object behind the wall and above Lois' bed. Though he tried to look in the box, his vision halted his efforts. _Lead … _

"In here," Clark called, and as soon as Chloe came and stood next to him, he pointed to the spot in the wall, "Right there, I see a small box."

They stepped up to it as far as they could without actually climbing onto Lois' bed. And for a second they just stared at it, both waiting for the other to do something to get it out. Before a minute passed of the unbearable silence, Chloe finally chided, "Well, I _know_ I can't rip through a wall with my bare hands."

Chloe raised her eyebrows at him again, in challenge, and Clark merely rolled his eyes, gave a quick glance over his shoulder to ensure they were alone, before slamming his fist through the wall. He then pulled the lead box back out effortlessly, and both were immediately overcome by the dust that came with it. _Amazing, _Chloe observed silently, once again awed with Clark's abilities. No matter how many times she has watched him perform them in front of her, each time felt like a new experience.

Of course, she kept this often to herself. Especially now, unwilling to let Clark know how much she really did admire him. Not just because of his abilities, but also for how he used them to save people, and how often he truly did risk his life. It was something that she really believed she could never do. A quality so attractive in Clark. Something that would always bring her back to him, no matter how often she's angry with him.

Clark lifted the lid of the small lead box, immediately amazed with Lois' forethought. Perhaps as a reporter, she immediately planned for catastrophes in investigations to occur. Or maybe she discovered something highly sensitive, enough to convince her to take early precautions. Whatever the reason, it gave Chloe and Clark an excellent start to their own search for her. And just like any reporter, Lois made sure whatever secrets she did hold would stay that way until she was ready to reveal them.

With her disappearance and the current state of her apartment, it was safe to assume Lois reached into the heart of the crime.

Clark reached in and took the small circular disk out, and gave it to Chloe very carefully. With one of her wide, signature, light-up-the-entire-room smiles, she said, "That's it."

---------------------------------------

Just minutes later, Clark found himself back in Chloe's silver convertible, watching her slight movements as she drove in silence. The wind whipped by them, almost drowning out any chance to say anything to each other. He could not help but look at her, though, not just from attraction, so grown up and sophisticated now, but also because he could see her inner torment. All morning he noticed how quiet she acted, and how defensive she became when they finally did converse. He saw her exhaustion, how it shadowed her beautiful features. _Beautiful … she was always beautiful, whether she wanted to admit it or not, _Clark thought with concern.

Maybe it was none of his business. Maybe he did not have any right to ask, especially when he was not exactly forthcoming with his own problems. But this seemed different, darker, as if it crippled her in some deep, unknown way. In a way only she was aware of. Clark knew the distance they spent apart over the past two years might have caused both of them to move on. But she still kept a small part of him with her, whether he liked that idea or not. Chloe was once the most important person in his life. And such a strong connection never fades away so easily.

With a soft sigh, Clark gazed at the road ahead of them and commented quietly, "You look tired." He then turned back to her. "Did you sleep much last night?"

"I didn't realize you cared," Chloe spat in return, the anger rising in her cheeks. Maybe he really wanted to help, and maybe he really was concerned for her. But it would take much more than a sudden shot of sympathy to convince her of that.

Clark rubbed his chin a little before pressing on, "I know you and I haven't seen each other in a long time. And I know I probably shouldn't ask. But I also know something is bothering you, and it has nothing to do with me or with Lois." When she did not say anything, Clark wondered if he should continue at all. If maybe his effort to help her might be misplaced now. But he decided to keep going anyway, and added, "It's been awhile since we talked, since we were together. But I still know you pretty well."

"Know me?" Chloe asked angrily, finally taking her eyes from the road just long enough to glare at him. The statement itself caused her cheeks to redden further with fury. This was the very issue that caused their messy break up, a complete misunderstanding. And it began with his lack of faith in her. "You never knew me, Clark," she began, desperately trying to stay calm, "_Never_. If you did know me, you would've realized your accusations against me were completely false. That I would never do anything like that to you."

Clark knew he just opened a can of worms, aware of what his words finally unveiled between them; the past they refused to face until now. "Chloe, I didn't mean …".

But she refused to let him finish. "Well, when you finally discover exactly what happened two years ago, and drop the fantasy of lies, maybe then we can have a conversation that will mean something to both of us."

Clark thought of a million different responses, all of which he had every right to say. It would only continue the very conversation they really did not finish two years prior. And it was something he wished to avoid right now. Sensing Chloe's anger, it would also be best to give her some time to cool down before throwing any more salt on the wound. These words, this reaction, she truly needed.

So he remained silent.

_**End of update …**_

_**More to come … **_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to all who have been reading and reviewing! Here is the next installment, still in chapter 2. I hope all of you have enjoyed it thus far! As always, reviews are most definitely welcome. :-)  
**

**Chapter 2: One of Us  
Part 2**

Lana gazed at Lex, saw his eyes glaze over slightly as he stared at yet another security video, this time from just outside the Talon. The night dragged on way into the next morning, each surprised to see the sun rise so soon. _Who knew looking at security videos would really take this long?_ Lana mused lightly, finally taking Lex's words of longevity to heart. But that did not matter to her. Lois' safety mattered the most, above exhaustion, above her desperate need for rest.

_Because every second counted …_

"Anything?" she asked, a bit more groggily than she felt.

Lex sighed slightly and pursed his lips, the wear of the night heavy on his handsome features. He kept his eyes on the small screen of his computer, which connected to a television set in the middle of his office at LuthorCorp. The daunting task of searching every security camera that may have caught Lois sometime during the day she disappeared finally caught up to him, despite his determination to aid his best reporter with more than just a few mercenaries to search for her.

"No, nothing on this tape," he announced, as he stood up and walked slowly to the coffeepot set up by his secretary … _what, five hours ago?_ Lex recalled faintly. Everything seemed a blur now, all that they saw, with barely any progress in return. Efforts wasted, it seemed. Something Lex hated to do, especially when his time could be served better elsewhere, in some more effective manner.

Lana watched as he poured two cups of coffee, frustrated herself with their apparent failure. Through the many hours spent on this project, she expected to find _something_, even if small and minute. She could immediately tell Lex was ready to give up and move on to another strategy, which he had every right to do. He did have the money to pursue the course of action he felt was best.

Lex walked back over, set one cup before her on the coffee table in front of the couch, and soon went back to his desk to start the next security installment. The enormous difficulty with investigating in this manner was the unknown timetable. With no real idea of where Lois was at any time during the day – because she spent most of the day out and about in investigation – they barely caught her on three tapes, all of which she only appeared for a few precious seconds.

_We need a timeline__ … _he began to muse silently before Lana interrupted his thoughts.

"Maybe we should take another look at The Daily Planet videos again," Lana suggested weakly, but sat up a bit to stress her point. Whether Lex believed it or not, she was convinced the first clue was deeply buried somewhere in these tapes. It was important to keep going, keep searching, for as long as it takes until their task is complete; _until Lois is safe_. Though she could already tell Lex's devotion to this search was faltering slightly due to their lack of progress and exhaustion, she would not give up so easily.

For her, this was just the beginning …

Lex nodded, but commented dryly, "The same videos we have looked at quite a few times already tonight. Not to mention, this morning."

"We did see her on one, though, right?" Lana reminded carefully, instantly feeling her hopes rise with the memory. They did study that particular scene numerous times, but much of their investigation came in the wee hours of the morning. _Past the point of comprehension and before the lofty brilliance of exhaustion_, Lana thought with a smile. Often her best ideas came when she was extremely tired.

Today would be no different.

Lex finally contemplated putting a stop to this diversion of tactics, hoping to spare Lana the disappointment that was sure to come. But if he shot down her lost, though sometimes empty, hope, it would be the worst discretion he could commit. It would only cause her to wonder '_what if?_', and further install her with passion, the only ammunition for true perseverance. To give her more reason to chase after something that may not exist, in a direction shaded with difficulty.

"All right, give me one second to bring it up again," Lex conceded, though with a hint of disagreement.

Lana stood up and walked to the television screen, more anxious now than ever to see the images of that day - of any moments that could shine a light on such a dark unknown. In seconds, the screen flashed, and then displayed the same images they studied hours before. And just as before, no obvious suggestion of foul play.

_Well, until …_

"Wait! Rewind and pause it for a second," Lana urged quickly, the excitement once lost during the night suddenly reviving her, now clear and strong. She moved closer to the screen and stared. And when she turned back to Lex, who now looked at the screen with intense interest and intrigue, Lana said with a knowing smile,_"Come_ _and take a look at this …"_

_---------------------_

Clark remained silent during the rest of the ride back to Chloe's apartment. He did study her frequently, however, his eyes absorbing her features with interest – watching as the anger melted away little by little. It almost gave him the courage to speak up again, to dive into the conversation they sorely needed to have with each other. But he couldn't, still afraid his efforts would only worsen their fragile friendship rather than nourish it. Instead, he merely followed her footsteps from the parking garage, through her building, and finally to her apartment, keeping a distance of at least five feet behind her. Deep in thought, rummaging through his own emotions that still remained thick and overbearing.

_Surprised … because she reacted so angrily … so hurt … but what did I expect? I attempted to reach out, but it was too soon … _

What happened two years ago, the break up so quick and decisive, did not give them the sufficient time to really move on. Clark, since that day on the porch of his farmhouse, still kept a part of Chloe deep inside of him, despite her incriminating actions. No matter how hard he tried to drain his heart of her, rid himself of her touch, of her eyes, of her soul, nothing save Chloe herself could give him freedom.

Chloe walked quickly to her desk to sit down once she unlocked and opened her door, her curiosity too overpowering to ignore. The same curiosity that drove her, gave her the uncompromising passion to search for the truth. But truth did not drive her this time. Love for her cousin was the only thought that kept her going, kept her fighting through the failures of the past week.

And finally, she held the link to this case, to Lois' safety, in her hand.

Though she would prefer to think only of her cousin, think only of the enormous task before them, her past would not let her. The past that crept up on her again, that threatened to open the wound she closed two years ago.

What happened with Clark was completely unexpected and she tried to make it disappear from her mind. The incident in the car was not like her, a moment of lost control when she desperately needed to stay calm. His intentions were probably pure, a cloud of concern underneath his words. But for Chloe, it only heightened her anger, precisely because he played the _friendship card, _two years after he questioned its merit. Two years after he based such a life altering decision on its apparent collapse.

_Alleged collapse … alleged … because he still did not know, did not believe what really happened when he walked in on me … _

_Even now …_

Chloe's actions were so automatic, that under her thoughts she already placed the disk in the computer and began to search its contents. With a nervous eye, she glanced to Clark, who now walked casually towards the kitchen peninsula, still silent and clearly apprehensive. Her words, she could see, had struck a cord. But Clark always did have a point … _because if he really believed she was capable of such a hurtful act, then maybe a relationship wouldn't work … if they couldn't trust each other … _

_Not to mention his retaliation only a few hours after seeing …_

Clark, on the other hand, kept his distance. Rubbed his chin again absently, waited, and watched as Chloe began to search the precious disk. _Should I try to bring it up again? Not just her problems now, but also everything that has kept us apart … for so long … for too long …_

But was it worth it? If she reacted in such a hostile way, was it really worth saving? Maybe he was right to stay away. The incident, its image still so real in his mind, almost brought Clark to his knees in despair two years ago. Even now, when the images cursed his thoughts, the anger rose in his heart, an emotion driven completely by jealousy. He knew what he saw, the mistakes Chloe made. _But I made them, too … after I saw it, I made the same mistake, with no sense of consequence …_

Maybe it was meant to be.

_Maybe … Chloe is the lost love … the one that could have been … the 'what if?' in my life._

Chloe, however, interrupted him before he could continue his internal debate. "Clark," she began, her eyes traveling from the computer screen, eyes wide, to gaze at him, "you've gotta see this."

Clark nodded and walked over quickly. Already his thoughts of Chloe dropped completely in the interest of helping Lois. At the moment, despite their problems and his own, she was most important. "What did you find?"

"A database," Chloe breathed in utter shock, "I can't believe Lois collected this much. She must've signed up for an espionage course by the CIA while I was in Europe."

Clark burrowed his brow a bit as he stepped behind Chloe, and leaned over her slightly, his left hand bracing his weight next to hers. He did not seem to notice the closeness, so intrigued by the information flashing before his eyes. But that was not the same for Chloe, who responsively straightened her otherwise leisurely posture whenever she normally researched on the computer. "A huge list of … people?"

"Yeah, people involved in some way to the accidents. Victims, witnesses, suspects … unbelievable. She must've been storing it for the bomb she wanted to drop," Chloe concluded casually, her eyes still in some disbelief. Lois did not just study this case, or investigate it, she wrote a book on it. Every witness, every victim, every suspect, as well as a complete description of all three accidental catastrophes; the enormous fire that took out buildings in three city blocks, the twenty-four car pile-up, and the subway crash, were all in this database. _No wonder Lois hid it so well!_

Clark asked eagerly, "Any one we can pinpoint?"

"Hmm, I don't know," Chloe responded, a bit deflated. The database was amazing, but very extensive. Obviously in perfect order for the author, but to those who studied it now, it was a bit confusing. "Let me see …".

"Wait," Clark responded, his voice rising with interest, "Lois highlighted a few statistics in each person profile."

Chloe looked a little closer, flipping through each profile, and the faces of each flashed quickly with each click. "I can gather all the files that she highlighted into one list," she explained, instantly carrying out her words. Every profile contained simple categories to describe the person, such as, of course, name, occupation, where they lived, and their connection to the accidents. Specifically, when Lois highlighted a category, it was always I_occupation_./I Immediately arousing further intrigue from both Clark and Chloe, desperate to hitch a ride with their friend's thought process.

"Occupation," Chloe recited distantly. At first she figured, perhaps, they all worked for the same company. She studied one highlighted profile, then continued to the next, and then another, only to see a different company filling the occupation field for each.

Clark breathed heavily behind her, a bit frustrated. "I would've bet money they all worked for the same business."

Just as Chloe was about to express her own frustration because of the same reason, she flipped through two more – and the companies matched two of the previous three first established in the files they already saw. She clicked further, and continued to see the same three company names flash under the occupation category. _Again … and again_.

"What was this, an extermination?"

"Do a cross reference with the accidents," Clark whispered behind her, his breath brushing across her ear. It almost made her shiver, almost made her forget what he asked her to do. Almost made her heart skip a beat … _we fought for two years … it doesn't mean I stopped loving him during the two years we were apart_, Chloe reasoned, trying to rationalize her reaction. _But loving him doesn't necessarily promise a relationship. It never did._

Chloe performed his instructions effortlessly, and soon they saw three different lists in front of them. Each list already sported a title that referred to one of the accidents, and each accident list displayed the victims and/or witnesses with the highlighted category. Furthermore, all those from one particular company were all under the same accident. The same relationship matched that of the other two accidents – one company matched completely with one accident.

"It was. It was extermination. Each accident an assassination attempt on the employees of a particular company," Chloe replied, more surprised than she was willing to admit. _Lois' suspicions were right on …_ _because the odds of this happening with no intervention whatsoever …_

"There are witnesses, maybe one of them knows something more," Clark pointed out positively.

Chloe added, "This name here looks familiar. I know I've seen it before." Eagerly, she turned to the Internet and typed the name into her personal people search on the web. In seconds, the name appeared with numerous search results underneath. "I knew it," she whispered.

"George Layton," Clark recited.

"He's a board member for the Legacy Corporation, a company in Metropolis famous for building many of the homes in the suburbs. They also own shares in almost fifteen percent of the companies that reside in the city," Chloe explained quickly.

Clark grimaced a bit. "That's a company with a lot of influence in Metropolis, losing quite a few of its most important employees."

"But why?" Chloe asked quickly. Yet the moment she asked her question, instantly her own thoughts answered it. In moments, she searched for information on the Legacy Corporation. A search that brought up a fact she did not expect to see. "Bought out?"

"By who?" Clark asked quickly.

Chloe grimaced, and recited awkwardly, "Jewel Incorporated?

Clark huffed a bit and leaned away from Chloe. "So … Jewel people or whatever… the same who probably found out what Lois knew and took her because of it … staged these accidents to assassinate board members of companies, just so they could be bought out? Is that the theory we're going for here?"

Chloe shrugged. "It's not too out there. Business has never been a showcase for good ethics. And what better way to buy out a company than to bribe board members to support the transition, and then kill off those who oppose it? Doing it like this … well, it certainly covered the tracks of those really responsible. Not to mention, the accidents tricked nearly everyone …".

"Except Lois," Clark observed. "So what do we do now?"

Chloe shrugged lightly, but smiled knowingly. "We need to interview George Clayton. Maybe he's willing to talk about it. Especially if he watched a fifty year old company bought up so quickly, and under more than just questionable circumstances."

"Okay," Clark agreed with a slight nod.

Just as Chloe stood, however, Clark caught her left wrist to stop her. Immediately she turned to him, her outstretched arm the only distance between them. She knew what he wanted to say, what was heavy on his mind. One of them was sure to bring it up eventually, though Chloe vowed to hold out until _he_ insisted they do so. Maybe by then she would be ready to talk about it – not just her outburst in the car, but … everything.

_But I'm not ready … not yet …_

"Wait," he insisted quietly, his eyes begging for her to listen.

Chloe said with a sigh, "Clark, don't …".

"You know we need to talk about what happened, sometime in the future," Clark began to plea. His words did not just refer to her outburst in the car, and nor did they exclusively concern their transgressions two years ago. Mostly, he thought of the future they promised each other, and the love they declared to each other – both lost due to their quick break-up. Both in danger of never being recovered again.

Chloe interrupted quickly, however. "This isn't the time, Clark." She could feel his emotion as it coursed through his body to hers, by the touch of his fingers to her wrist. His need was the same as hers; to forget, to move on, to befriend each other. To love each other again. She almost lost herself in the moment, caught up by what could have been between them. By all the time they lost with each other. Almost as if they saw in each other the same desperate need for the other – so buried before, now so apparent and draining.

"Clark … we can't do this now …", Chloe stammered softly, her words a repeat of what she just said only a minute ago.

He nodded with obvious concession, aware of their limitations. "I know we can't. Lois is still out there." Clark then dropped her hand, breaking the magic of the moment completely now.

"And we have a case to solve," Chloe added sternly, further stressing the point – no time should be wasted on primal needs of the heart.

With only one more look to spare, Chloe turned and walked towards the door for a second time. Wishing everything was different. Wishing he would stop her, force her to talk. Wishing Lois was safe and well. Wishing he would grab her wrist again, kiss her passionately, and fulfill what both of them wanted. What might wash away all the hurt feelings that still existed.

What might give them a new beginning.

---------------------

_**More to come ...  
Reviews welcome!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Here is the next update. It's a bit long. I hope all of you enjoy it! Thanks so much for all of the reviews thus far. **

**Chapter 2: One Of Us  
Part 3**

Lex could only stare at the screen before them; completely transfixed by the images they prematurely bypassed hours and hours ago. Actually, surprise described his feelings much better, in complete disbelief that both he and Lana missed this the first time around. If anything, Lana should have caught onto it before him, if one considered the fact that her commitment to this project was much stronger than his own. Her friendship to Lois drove her on, perhaps even past her limits, and Lex became increasingly worried for her. Of course these images would push her further, down a road she did not know how to travel alone. A road Lex did not even want to journey down.

Did she really understand how far this might take her? And even if and when she reached the end, could she handle it?

But now that he saw this scene … _I am certainly intrigued. Perhaps even willing to take this case where it needs to go … _

_For Lana, of course …_

"Why didn't we see this?" Lana asked, an echo of Lex's own thoughts.

He sighed quietly, and quickly turned back to his own computer screen, the source for the images before them. "Let me see if I can get a better look," he explained casually, and typed quickly.

At first, Lana felt frustration with her inability to see this before now. Yet that soon melted into something like exhilaration, aware of what this security video really meant. _The first clue, really, to the mystery of Lois' disappearance_, Lana considered, _and if it took she and Lex the entire night of searching, then so be it. _

_In the video_ … Lana muses once again …

_Lois comes in from the left side to talk to a gentleman, who stands by himself at the curb in front of an old car. The make of which still difficult to see clearly, however. She talks to him for a second, and walks to the other side of him, and the man's height blocks any clear vision of her, save her face. _

_Then Lois' facial expression clearly turns a bit pale, as if worried or frightened. So subtly, however, as to go completely unnoticed by any casual viewer of the film. But for me, looking for gold, this was the shiny sparkle in the rock, waiting to be dug up. They turn towards the camera with only their right side in view, and the man's hands are nudged at Lois' back. And with a careful, fine-tuned eye, one can see a very, very small object in his hand. However, Lois' body blocks it in the next millisecond, as if nothing was there at all._

_Her facial expressions now giving away nothing. _

_And soon enough, Lois and the man walk towards the right and disappear completely. _

_The car then disappears, as well. _

When at normal speed, the ten-second video sped by quickly, and with no hint of a problem. But as Lex slowed it down bit by bit, the pistol in the man's hand in that millisecond becomes slightly clearer with every look. Of course, it was like any hidden clue in a puzzle; once seen, it's very difficult _not_ to see it.

"Can you zero in on his face?" Lana asked, still keeping a watchful eye on the film.

Lex nodded. "I think maybe I can."

Soon enough, the film stopped as both Lois and the man face towards the car. Though more of a profile of the man, it was still the best look the film gave of him. In seconds, Lex began to zoom on the stilled frame, and the face of the man became slightly clearer over the next, quiet thirty seconds. He had a small goatee, the same dark brown color as his buzz cut. He looked like he might be around thirty years old, perhaps a few years older. Outwardly, the man even looked well dressed, as that of any businessman in a suit and tie.

And maybe that was just another reason why no one seemed to have given this particular video the investigation it deserved. Not only did the man hide the pistol extremely well, he also let the camera only see it in that millisecond of time. Lost to the normal speed of the video. Furthermore, much of his face was hidden during the duration of the film. Lana, of course, was thrilled that she and Lex could even use what little they saw, considering the film only gave away a right side profile of his features. Any clue, at this point, would help them tremendously.

But still … Lana could not help but wonder why no one else caught onto this before them. The police were professionals, right? _Wouldn't they have given this video, especially one with Lois in it, a thorough once over? _Lana asked silently.

Yet before she could further her thinking, Lex said with confidence, "That should be good enough to send to my investigators. With this, plus the small look at the car, we may be able to track him down."

Lana sighed at that, aware now of how close they actually were. And that was only because she took action immediately after Lois was taken, giving the man who took her little time to hide. _Four days of time, yes … but compared to a week, or more_? Lana reasoned.

"Great. We find the man … we find Lois," Lana said with confidence, her smile difficult to contain.

_They were close, indeed._ _The sacrifice I knew I would have to make. _Her lips turned into a sweet smile as she watched the ten-second video play over and over again as Lex worked with the film to get exactly what he wanted.

And as he did so, she followed its events in her mind, to fulfill her dire need to ensure Lois was okay. Despite what the video suggested. At last they knew _something _now, which was a huge step up from where they were before.

----------------------------------

George Layton lived nearly twenty minutes outside of Metropolis in one of the outskirt suburbs of the city. Actually, one of the very suburbs the Legacy Corporation was responsible for developing. In her research, Chloe discovered that Layton used to live in a penthouse apartment in Metropolis. _One of the most expensive, actually_, she thought with interest. In fact, he bought his house just recently, barely a month ago, only a week after the huge car crash that claimed the lives of many of the board members of the Legacy Corporation. The very same crash Layton survived. Furthermore, the Legacy Corporation was bought out by a unanimous vote only forty-eight hours later. With the main naysayers of the buy out killed in the crash, the proposal passed easily without a hitch.

Suddenly, Lois' disappearance branched out into many different avenues. These confusing avenues, unfortunately, seemed the only pathway to where Lois might be hidden. _Assuming she's still alive_, Chloe thought cynically. The puzzle became more complicated by the minute, but in the end, Chloe was sure, the solution would lead them straight to her cousin.

And all of this would be over.

_If Layton is willing to help us at all … _

Next to her, Clark remained quiet as she drove, his eyes staring at the houses that rushed by them. It would be an enormous understatement to say Chloe has been awed by Clark's sudden change in mood in concern with their friendship. When she approached him for help in Smallville, he barely gave her a minute to explain herself. He seemed taken aback by her physical and emotional step towards him, and reacted in the only way he knew how anymore; _anger_. Of course, he did have every right to be angry – in his opinion, anyhow.

At the moment, however, he did act worried about her. And not just because he was Clark Kent, the compulsive hero to all who needed help. His actions felt sincere, as if he truly did forget the huge lava pit that separated them. For once, he attempted to cross it and to reach out to her, and he never gave the danger below him a meaningful glance. Only when she brought them both back to reality, pulled away, did he finally realize the vast hole he tried to cross but failed.

Honestly, Chloe felt the space between them was much too big.

And why, all of a sudden, did Clark sincerely worry about her? Why did he want to talk about it? Truly discuss their problems, and maybe even move past them? That very conundrum seemed to be the root of Chloe's problem with the entire situation. Her intentions were never to resurrect their non-existent friendship, and never did she even think that Clark would be interested in doing so. The doubts that plagued her otherwise optimistic view of this current situation warned her of what happened the last time.

_As if I could forget, _Chloe thought bitterly. _If Clark didn't believe their relationship was worth saving back when they were supposed to be in love, then why on earth does he believe anything has changed now – especially when our love for each other has seemed to diminish?_

"He lives all the way out here?" Clark asked, his head finally turning to her.

Chloe nodded, aware of how deep her cloud of thought actually was – because it took her a few seconds to realize he said anything. "Yeah, this is the address my fancy people search gave us," she insisted.

Clark shook his head. "I can't believe he used to live in one of the richest penthouses in Metropolis … and now barely has enough money to buy a small home. It doesn't make sense."

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, as she turned down the street that was supposed to have Layton's house on it.

"Well, I mean … where did all of his money go? Did he just lose it? Is he hiding it?" Clark asked, gazing at her with intrigue. "Why wouldn't he use the money to get out of the United States completely?"

Chloe smiled. "Keep that tucked away in your treasure chest of questions we need to ask him."

In moments, a house appeared on the left – its numbers matching that of the address Chloe found on the Internet. She pulled to the curb across the street, giving them both a chance to absorb exactly what they would be walking into. The house itself was small, serene, and barely noticeable. Its light shade of blue blended into the background so much as to make the house disappear within its surroundings. An affect that only heightened Chloe's interest, aware Layton kept himself in this self-made exile on purpose.

_But why? And why didn't he just leave the country, as Clark suggested?_

"Okay, let's go, flyboy," she chided quietly, grabbing her purse and climbing out of her corvette. In seconds, she crossed the street with Clark right behind her, hovering over her. Chloe immediately sensed his tension, his super senses on high alert for good reason. Neither of them knew how Layton might react to their questions, or even just their presence, in general, showing up on his doorstep.

Her heels clicked loudly as they reached the cement, broken sidewalk. Chloe could feel her heart begin to beat faster, her pace quickening the closer they reached the door to the house. Anxiety suddenly coursed through her veins, knowing full well this interview might be the make or break moment of their investigation. Either they could absorb a numerous amount of information to aid in their search, or nothing at all. There was not a lot of room for a middle ground.

Clark kept up with her, and looked around the small lawn and nearby houses for anything suspicious. He needed to be the actual eyes and ears of this particular situation, especially since neither knew what to expect. It was important to keep a heads up on everything around them, and not just because they were entering unknown territory. Whatever happened to Lois was a result of her close, and unwelcome proximity to the case. Soon, very soon, both he and Chloe would find themselves with the same problem, vulnerable to the same danger.

Chloe stepped up onto the small porch and approached the screen door and pulled it open. The wooden door behind it was dark in color, stained and chipped in many different spots. With a sigh, she knocked on it and studied the dirty glass window in the shape of a diamond. Only then did she realize Clark remained a few feet behind her, and she turned to see him staring hard at the house before them.

"See anything?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Clark's eyes flipped to her and he shook his head subtly. If he did not see anything worth warning her about, then, so far, the situation should be okay. As long as she was not freaked out by the door that opened and the face that stared back at her in less than a second. If anywhere else, she probably would have jumped ten feet back into Clark's arms for protection.

But she was a reporter, one who did not let this type of thing bother her.

In the face that stared back at her, the voice cracked as if it survived a thirty-year, five pack a day smoker as the man bellowed angrily, "Who are you?"

The face of the man before her looked pale, his skin a patchy white. His eyes looked bloodshot and watery, his hands rough, only slightly overweight, and his clothes stained with anything from grease to food, and some other white substance Chloe chose not to designate in a category. Was _this _really the man who once held a seat on a board of one of the most important companies in Metropolis?

Behind her, Clark stepped up and smiled at the man, not missing a beat. "Clark Kent, sir. And this is Chloe Sullivan. We're from The Daily Planet."

"The Planet?" he asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing in on Chloe.

She nodded, quickly gaining her mostly impenetrable composure during interviews. "Are you George Layton?"

The man then stiffened noticeably, his hand's grip on the edge of the door tightening slightly. At first, Chloe sensed he might slam the door in their faces, unwilling to humor them in any way. Perhaps access to this world would be much harder to earn than she originally thought. Yet, in that second of thought, the man's face began to lighten just a bit. Enough for Chloe to see something already begin to surface – a man who waited months for someone, anyone to give him the attention he deserved.

Because he had so much to say.

"I'm him," he whispered, now opening the door a bit more, a gesture of nervous welcome into his home, into his life.

Clark smiled at him. "Thank you, sir. We just need a minute of your time."

Layton nodded in return, and gazed past them to look suspiciously outside before he finally stepped away to give Clark and Chloe space to walk into his house. The living room they immediately entered was a catastrophe – papers, pizza boxes, trash in every corner of the small space. The television flickered weakly, the black and white picture full of lines that bounced up and down the screen. Clark vaguely felt they must have teleported to the 1950's, musing at the bunny ears atop the TV set and the state of its poor picture. The darkness of the room itself only added to the eerie effect.

_Maybe we are in the Twilight Zone, _Clark mused with a small smile.

Chloe watched as Layton went into his kitchen. "We came here to ask you about the Legacy Corporation," she stated, raising her voice slightly so he could hear her in the next room.

He came out then with a beer in his hand, his brow furrowed slightly as he stared at the blond reporter in front of him. His mind flashed through recent news, her face so familiar. And in an instant, it came to him, a small smile breaking across his chapped lips. "Chloe Sullivan? That's right, I remember you."

Chloe huffed slightly, and raised an eyebrow in question. "I do write in The Daily Planet …".

"No, no," he interrupted quickly, pointing his beer at her. "A year ago, I heard a reporter was killed. A … ah …" he began, stammering in search of a name to go with the face in his head, "I can't think of his name, but I do remember you. You two did a lot of cases together, were the talk of Metropolis for some time. I read your articles often in the Planet."

Clark's eyes grew as he gazed casually at Chloe, but she refused to look at him. _Her partner killed?_ _By who? What happened?_ Clark thought quickly._ This must be what Chloe has been hiding from me since we started investigating this case._ He knew she traveled to Europe a lot to do stories, and up until now pegged it mainly as either a request by her editor, or her need to explore her boundaries. Never did he consider it might be due to something else … _had she been running away this entire time? Running away from him, from Metropolis, from the Planet … from her partner's death? _

He suddenly felt his stomach turn in disgust. Though he desperately wanted to ask more, offer his help, Clark knew this was definitely not the time.

Especially when Chloe moved the conversation along quickly. "Mr. Layton, the Legacy Corporation …" she insisted lightly.

Layton nodded and moved to a green recliner, gesturing for them to sit on the couch adjacent to him. Chloe almost declined, willing to stand rather than sit on a couch that may eat her alive. But Clark grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her towards the unwanted destination, and soon they sat at eye level to Layton. Without really noticing her actions, she slid her hand close to Clark's arm, more as a nervous gesture than a tender one.

But it did not go unnoticed.

"What did you want to know about it?" he asked, his eyes once again narrowing on the two of them.

_Already cagey_, Chloe mused.

"You were a board member," Chloe stated.

He hesitated slightly and sipped his beer, clearly fumbling his possibilities around in his head like clothes in a dryer. Chloe knew he had every right to be unwilling to offer sensitive information, especially if he felt his own safety might be at risk. If anything, he must be reassured that whatever is discussed here, his identity will be hidden well. And, at the moment, her main interest is to find Lois, not to write a groundbreaking story of bribery and corruption in Metropolis. That was Lois' forte, territory she did not wish to cross over into right now.

Clark then added quietly, "Mr. Layton, we understand if you don't want to say anything more. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to."

Layton stalled a bit more before he finally replied softly, "Yes, I was a board member."

"For how long?" Clark asked.

Layton leaned forward slightly. "Fifteen years. Give or take."

"Why was the Legacy Corporation bought out?" Chloe asked, her eyes studying his uneasy demeanor.

"It wasn't for financial reasons," he said under his breath.

Yet Clark asked quickly in reaction, "What do you mean?"

Layton leaned back in his chair again and breathed heavily. He licked his lips before taking another long gulp of his beer. Once again, he debated on the amount of information he should give these two _reporters_. It took him almost an entire month to successfully hide himself from those who chased after him, even after the board voted. What would happen if he opened the can or worms? If he blabbed to two reporters, a path which would eventually lead to his story showing up in the media? Where _all_ could see it?

But maybe it was time. Maybe he finally found two people who could carry the truth where it needed to go, and not back away.

"The Legacy Corporation was financially stable. A fifty year old company doesn't just flop over night," he informed quietly, his eyes glaring at the quiet, yet confident Clark.

Chloe pressed further, "Then what did happen?"

"Another company – Jewel Incorporated – came in and bought us out," he informed bitterly, keeping his eyes away from the two reporters.

Clark responded, catching Layton's mood, "You obviously didn't want that."

"No," he said, and then stood up and walked a bit away, back turned to them. His eyes in his beer, he added, "I tried to stop it, but …".

"But what?" Chloe asked, as she stood up to stress her need for him to continue. Every little bit would help them.

He turned then to face her. "But," he began hesitantly, "when all of those who disagreed with the buyout were killed in the car crash, there wasn't much hope left for the dying company."

"You said it was financially stable," Clark pointed out, a little conflicted with the contradictory of words from their top witness. _Dying company?_

Layton nodded knowingly. "Well, once Jewel threatened to buy us out, they gave us only one solution – send five hundred thousand dollars a month to an undisclosed account in Europe. Which we did. By the end of the four months… ," again he hesitated, and walked towards the flickering television. He finished his beer and crushed it hard in his strong grasp. "Legacy paid it, and it actually gave me time to assess who would vote against the buyout. Before the car crash, there were just enough votes to stop it. With the money leaving fast, and support gone in a blink of an eye … well, it essentially died out."

Chloe, still a little confused, pointed out, "Well, the vote was unanimous. So you must have voted for the buy out."

Layton made a face of disgust as he paced the other way, and then walked towards the drawn window, pulling back the drapes to look out. "I never made it to the vote," he whispered, and then let the drape fall as he turned back to them. "Someone got to those who did make it to the vote … convinced them it was in their _best interest _to vote the right way."

"They got to you," Clark stated, observing the sadness in the man's features.

He sighed then, but nodded. "They made sure I never got to the vote. I escaped the car crash, but not without a concussion. Kept me laid up in the hospital. Once I was let out," he began, this time pacing back to this recliner, "I noticed that I was being followed. My bank accounts were closing on me. In less than a week, I barely had an identity."

"We checked Jewel's records, but … no names available, no public financial records, no board … ," Clark began, listing the very difficulties he and Chloe faced when trying to investigate the company further.

Layton huffed then, and said with a smirk, "Well, I'm not surprised. Especially since they're only a six month old company."

"Who happened to have enough money to fund ten armies?" Chloe asked with a bit of edge in her tone.

Layton only replied, "The only name I can give you is James Peterson. One of the few executives we did talk to."

"James Peterson," Clark recited oddly, his voice letting on his familiarity with the name, "like in … James Peterson, part owner of the MGM Grande in Las Vegas?"

Layton smiled at Clark's apparent knowledge of business. "MGM, the Bellagio … even some of the casinos on the old strip."

"Las Vegas," Chloe breathed, a little taken aback by this declaration. _Really? Would this man have the answers they were looking for? _"What's the likelihood of someone like … say, Mr. Peterson, for example … hiding a hostage in the Neon Sign Capitol of the World?"

"Well," he said with a truly genuine smile, a reaction to her dripping sarcasm, "I would say pretty good."

That was all Chloe needed to hear.

----------------------------------

"Vegas?" Clark asked suspiciously as he tried to keep up with Chloe's pace through The Daily Planet hallways and then to the elevator. Frankly, the idea seemed a bit odd to him, considering Las Vegas was probably one of the flashiest cities in the entire world. "Hiding someone in Vegas – might as well put a huge sign on their chest that says, 'I'm here', 'I'm here'," Clark joked with a smile.

Chloe, a little awed by the raw cynicism that came from one of the most optimistic people in the entire world, turned to him with a smile and shot back, "Ever heard of the phrase hiding someone in plain sight?"

Clark laughed quietly as they entered the elevator, and soon stood at the back wall. As the only two in the elevator, he was a bit surprised Chloe stood so closely next to him. With a smirk, he added in fake concession, "You're right … I mean, maybe she's dressed as an Elvis impersonator."

"Clark!" she hissed with quiet shock, elbowing him in the stomach. And for a moment, Chloe felt her heart warm quickly with his presence, with his eyes, how he teased her as if they were friends, as if they were in a relationship full of intimacy just like this. _Intimacy? Was that the right word here? Close? _Before Chloe allowed herself to question it further, allow it to scare her, push her away, she insisted with a soft smile, "Don't forget, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Lois could be anywhere in that haven of sin, and no one would even notice her."

"I just," Clark began, a little more seriously, "Don't want you to get your hopes up. I want Lois to be in Vegas just as much as you do, but considering the source we got this precious information from …".

Chloe sighed then and turned to him, and insisted with a hand to his forearm, "Please … just humor me." A small smile then broke her otherwise serious tone when she realized she had used this very line on him already these past two days.

Clark nodded, a nervous smile edging at the corners of his lips. Maybe Lois was in Vegas, and maybe she was hidden in some deep hole created by James Peterson. And maybe they were following the delusions of a disgruntled former employee of a company.

Yet, the circumstances of the company buy out convinced him there might indeed be merit to Layton's words – only because he would have no reason to lie to them. Even if those involved in Lois' disappearance, assuming they would have any connections to Jewel at all, did not take her to Vegas, Peterson was there anyway. And he was the next point on the very map that would hopefully lead them straight to Lois' actual location; an avenue they must travel all the way through.

The elevator doors opened quickly, and soon the entire Daily Planet newsroom entered Clark's vision. Already he felt caught up in the excitement of the newspaper, the rush to make the afternoon edition like a plague that hovered through the air of the room. Not to mention Chloe, as her pace quickened through the busy people like an obstacle course – the destination her desk space to the far right.

Clark watched as she began to gather papers from her messy space and place them in her briefcase. The Daily Planet, the newsroom, standing at Chloe's desk … his curiosity in concern to her former partner rose quickly. He admittedly almost forgot about it, and shamed himself for such a possibility. "Chloe," he began, aware his questions might cancel out the tender moment in the elevator.

She turned to him, unable to hide her smile. "Clark?"

_In fact_, Clark thought, _there was almost a genuine moment where there was no problem between us at all. In fact … my heart started beating in the same nervous pace when I used to kiss her two years ago … when I held her in my arms … _

"Your partner," he said quietly, "You never told me …".

Chloe sighed then, and the once unburdened smile melted away as if it never existed. She zipped up her briefcase roughly and the mask of pain returned. All of the guilt, the sadness, and the anger came rushing back into her heart. For a moment, Chloe almost forget how deep those emotions ran in her veins_. A freedom from my demons …from their haunting of my soul … _

A freedom short lived.

"It's none of your business," she insisted quietly, roughly. Indeed, none of it _was_ his business. They were always _her _demons, a price she paid after Clark left, after her partner was killed.

Clark folded his arms, and sighed heavily. He could already feel her backing away from him. But he did not want to give up, not this time. "What happened?" he asked.

Chloe hesitated, kept her face down, away from the eyes that bored into her, away from his look of concern, and from his reach of friendship. For so long, she dealt with this alone. And for so long, she never wanted it to be any different. "He was murdered," she whispered, already amazed she said anything at all. Many of her colleagues knew the story. After the incident, she could not count the number of concerned glances they shot her way.

Under such pressure, Chloe felt a dire need to escape. And escape she did.

"Murdered?" Clark asked, uncertainty and shock lacing his voice.

Chloe nodded casually and continued to clean her desk, and replied coolly, "I dragged him with me, on some selfish crusade … it was my fault." Her voice almost cracked by the end of that sentence, but she kept her composure flawless.

"Chloe, I doubt …", Clark began, his tone heavy with concern, his hand reaching out to clasp her own.

"Clark," she interrupted, finally lifting her head to look him straight in the eye. The emotion dripped off of her features, so thick and intoxicating. Yet she did not cry. Nor did she let him see anymore than surface deep. _Because the rest was for her, and for her alone_. And he was venturing into a place he knew nothing about, and would never know. The personal crisis he was miles away from when it happened, a time she needed him desperately, to be the light in her darkness. _A resentment_, she realized, _that never really left me completely_. "Drop this. Please."

Clark nodded reluctantly, aware this was too soon. Aware he asked too much of her, too much of both of them.

Chloe then turned away, grabbed her briefcase and headed towards Perry White's office. She intended on giving him an update of her progress on Lois, and furthermore booking a room and plane tickets to Vegas.

Lois was running out of time.

---------------------

End of update. More to come!  
Reviews welcome:-)


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Long time coming, I know. But it's here. Thanks again to all of my reviewers! Enjoy! Reviews always welcome and encouraged!**

**----------- **

_**Chapter 2: One Of Us**_

_**Part 4:**_

Lana sat still, motionless, at a table in the middle of a busy coffeehouse. Life moved past her in fast-forward, a blur of faded images through her mind's eye. Her hands were tight around a warm coffee cup, still nearly full with the cappuccino she ordered an hour before. In a rare, quiet moment among the chaos, thoughts overcame all reality, and emotions coursed through her heart. Above all, worry seemed the most prominent, strong and suffocating. Yet underneath, deep, lying dormant, almost unnoticed, was her usual sense of loneliness.

_Lonely. It never used to be like this, _Lana thought with a heavy heart.

Like a picture book of nostalgia, her thoughts turned the pages of the past few years. Lana remembered her yearlong trip to Europe, a journey to find her true identity. The green countryside, the lush grasses and plains, and peaceful seas gave her solace, a chance to look deep inside her soul. Yet the road she traveled eventually led her back to Smallville, to the people who cared for her the most.

When she finally did come home, alone, lost, and under the dark umbrella of uncertainty, Chloe gave her light. Offered Lana a place to stay in her new apartment in Metropolis, along with understanding, an ear to listen, and, most importantly, true friendship. It often amazed Lana how close they became over the next five years. When Lois appeared soon after, they were a family, a support system for each other. Though her future remained mysterious and unknown, Lana knew she could depend on the two she never expected. _Sisters not by blood, but by commitment … by love._

Though Lana still considered Chloe and Lois two of her best friends, in the past year everything changed. Roads of life that once ran parallel suddenly began to run in opposite directions. Lois moved to a new apartment, and spent more and more time at The Daily Planet, desperately trying to match the demand of her ever-growing popularity. _And Chloe … Oh Chloe … who has been running from her past for two years, _Lana thought sadly.The death of her partner only caused her to run faster, farther, and longer. She spent months away from home, and traveled the globe to write international stories for The Daily Planet.

With both of them gone much of the time, Lana was suddenly living her life mostly by herself. Chloe still talked to her when she could, and Lois did visit at least a few times a week. But it has certainly not been the same. _Once again, those she cared about moved away, left her, traveled a different path. _

As soon as Lana heard Lois disappeared, however, desperation soon draped her heart in shadows, and smudged the line between right and wrong. When Chloe refused to let her help with the case, it only pushed Lana to an extreme she vowed never to tap into again. A temptation she promised herself, and, most importantly, Chloe she would never succumb to, despite any circumstances.

Lana went to Lex Luthor for help.

Already she felt disgusted, aware of how upset Chloe would be if she found out. _In fact, Chloe would probably scream at me. But it seems like the only real way to find Lois, using whatever resources necessary to do so. Lois' safety meant more to her than personal feuds._

_Lex Luthor … _

_Chloe …_

_Clark …_

No matter how hard Lana tried to stop it, everything returned. Like an ocean wave crashing on the shore, unwanted memories, loss, and sleepless nights came back to the forefront of her mind. Events she tried two years to forget, to throw away, and to pretend never happened at all. Through the drama, she remembered sitting on the sidelines, helpless, unable to do anything but watch the destruction, eyes clouded with endless tears.

_Could only be the comfort in the pain, the sense in the misunderstanding, the love among the hurt. _

_Clark …_

_Oh, Chloe … _

_They came so close … so very close …_

What Lana remembered the most, what she chose to remember above all else, was the friendship Clark and Chloe shared before their problems. Four years of college made them closer, brought them together, helped develop an intimacy even Lana never once experienced with Clark before. _Unexplainable, really._ The eyes of love that once watched her from afar now changed direction. Clark no longer looked at his childhood sweetheart with the same intensity.

_His best friend, however, soon became the object of his affection. _

Despite the subtle shift in attraction, Lana and Clark did attempt a relationship when she returned from Europe. In less than a month, however, it became blatantly obvious that the water under the bridge was much too high to support anything deeper than friendship.

In the end, that was okay with Lana.

She could not help but feel slight jealousy towards Clark and Chloe, though. _The man she once defined as the love of her life was gone._ _Destiny changed the future she once hoped for. Destiny … ignored the past. Destiny … made everything the way it was meant to be. _

As months turned into years, so did Clark's friendship with Chloe turn into something like intimacy.

By college graduation, the two were together. Inseparable.

_In love …_

_Yet … destiny always surprises us. _

Lana often wished the past ended there for her two friends. In fact, her mind tried desperately to stop the pages of time from turning to the next sequence of events. _Why can't everything stay exactly as it should? Why can't happiness overcome all? Why can't love forgive? _The love, however, could not come without the pain. Clark and Chloe ensured these two emotions would forever be paired in their fragile relationship.

With great regret, she remembered how it all began.

Days after college graduation, days after she and Clark declared their undying love for each other; Chloe earned an interview with The Daily Planet. Happiness could hardly describe how she felt with the news, not to mention the support and encouragement Clark gave her again and again throughout the duration of the hiring process. By the end of the week, in no time at all actually, Chloe Sullivan was an investigative reporter for one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world.

A newspaper recently bought out by Lex Luthor.

_Which quickly explained why Chloe was hired so quickly._

Lana could only tell the story from here on out with Chloe's version, because Clark never chose to tell his completely. Chloe promised her version to be the only one to truly explain her intentions when she went to Lex Luthor the night after she was hired. Promised she thought of nothing save saying thank you to her good friend, who seemed only to have her best interests at heart. A friend who stood by her during Lionel Luthor's case, kept her safe, and now gave her the chance of a lifetime.

Chloe went to his office at LexCorp close to nine o'clock that night. Knocked on his door, and Lex urged her quickly to come in. She stood back from him, saw him sitting at his desk, eyes glued to his laptop before gazing up at her. With a sweet smile, she began her plea of gratitude. Telling him how grateful she was for the faith he obviously had in her. The chance he was willing to take with her. The enormous jumpstart this would be for Chloe's career.

_Not to mention the jumpstart for her life with Clark …_

Lana could almost see the images play themselves out in front of her closed eyelids, despite never seeing them save through Chloe's eyes.

Lex stood from his desk, walked towards his new reporter, and gave her a warm hug. At first, simple, sweet, even a normal reaction from him. Then he stepped back, enough to gaze deeply into Chloe's eyes, enough to cause her suspicion.

In a seconds time … Lex kissed her deeply. Ignored her muffled pleas to stop, captured her tightly in his arms, his strength much too difficult to fight. Initial shock took all rational thought from Chloe's mind, the alarm of warning deafening, yet barely understood.

What Clark saw exactly, Chloe would never know.

And neither would Lana.

When the kiss finally ended, both Chloe and Lex knew who watched them from the doorway. And both turned to see Clark's stare. What Chloe always remembered in that moment, and always told Lana, was the reaction she felt when she saw her lover's eyes that night. Eyes of pain, hurt, shock, and, most importantly, anger. And whether Chloe did anything wrong or not, guilt surged through her gut, through her veins, through her soul.

_Because she knew it would never be the same_.

_By the next day, Clark, sure he saw Chloe cheat on him with a good friend, insisted they go their separate ways. He could no longer trust her._

_Chloe, sure their love was only a façade of lost chances, did not disagree. If he did not want to work it out, if he could not trust her over Lex Luthor … if he did not have faith in their love … She knew the relationship was not worth saving._

_All said on that fateful night, on the Kent Farm, on their porch, on their swing … with words dipped in seas of grief._

From that point, Lana only remembered the pain. Night after night she sat up with Chloe, wiped away the endless tears from her reddened cheeks, held her, told her everything would turn out okay. Everything would be solved soon. _The pain would go away in time_. It took weeks for Chloe to sleep throughout the night, months to stop crying the days away, and years to move on.

Yet Chloe still felt guilty, this much Lana knew. Because she still ran from the demons in her heart, from both the guilt over Clark and the guilt over her partner, each lost due to something she did. _Whether she meant to do them or not. Whether it was really her fault or not. Deep down … she still carried the weight of both, carried the burden of her fateful actions. Actions the cause of catastrophic results. _

With a pang of anger, Lana wished she never knew Lex Luthor. If anything, the cause of Clark and Chloe's problems began with him. He never really explained his actions that night, yet he politely insisted Chloe _asked him_ to share the moment of passion. A convenient lie Clark Kent did not question, blinded by his own pain. Blinded with the very real possibility that he just lost the person he truly loved.

**_My song is love  
Love to the lovely song_**

Lana tried to explain Clark's misplaced outrage with that very reason, at least. _I hope that was why he gave up on Chloe … why he put both of them through so much emotional grief. Love can be blind._

In response to her travel through time, Lana once again felt disgusted, the sickness deep in her stomach. The cappuccino she drank no longer held the re- invigorating effects from before, instead replaced with a horrible churn of nausea. How could she stoop so low as to get Lex Luthor involved? Despite how much he has done for her in the past, in Smallville? None of that should matter when one considered how much pain he caused. His lies at the root of all the grief between Clark and Chloe.

**_And it goes on  
You don't have to be alone_**

Could Lana, with good conscience, keep him involved?

Hours ago, Lex took the picture of the man they discovered on the security tape to his investigators. Hours she waited for him in this coffee house, lost in her morbid thoughts. Lost in the past.

**_Your heavy heart  
Is made of stone_**

Suddenly, however, he appeared before her. Lana looked to him, saw him smile as he placed a manila folder on the table in front of her. Before she could say anything, before she could fight her temptations, before she could back out, Lex insisted with a slight smile, "I hope you like to gamble."

----------------

**_And it's so hard to see you clearly  
You don't have to be on your own_**

Clark sat quietly in his seat, his right hand tight around his glass of water. The plane rode smooth through the blue, crystal sky around them. Though he insisted they could take the Kent express to Las Vegas, Chloe thought it best to take public transportation so no one could claim to see him land somewhere in the middle of the desert. Though she wanted to get to Lois as quickly as possible, Chloe also did not want to risk someone seeing Clark use his powers. He could not help but smile slightly at her reasoning, because Clark knew she was actually a little scared to fly with him.

_At least, she always was when we were together. _

_Together …_

**_You don't have to be on your own_**

He looked over to his left at the blonde woman that sat next to him, leaned back completely in her chair, eyes closed to the outside world for the time being. Clark's heart ached just by gazing at her; aware of everything he gave up two years ago. Days did not go by without the same regrets, like a pang of disgust deep in his soul. In fact, he often considered the ramifications of his hasty decision, fueled completely by jealousy and rage. What kind of future did he let slip through his fingers? Was there ever anything to save?

**_And I'm not gonna take it back  
And I'm not gonna say I don't mean that_**

Clark's gaze turned back to the seat in front of him, as his mind took all rational thought away. The memories he shared with Chloe came quickly to the forefront of his mind. Over the past two years, this happened often. Most specifically, the special moments they spent together, so close to the edge of happiness. Loving her took every ounce of his being, as if anything less would not be good enough. She took his heart, his soul, and defined him.

**_You're the target that I'm aiming at  
And I'll get that message home_**

Moments of quiet love, as he held her in front of the fire, kissed her, promised her his life. She would often whisper to him tender love in return; and promised him she will love him forever. Intense, intimate, and nothing like it before or since. Sometimes they would say nothing at all, let their souls talk, melt together instead. Already, just the memories, caused Clark's heart to beat a bit faster than usual. His eyes closed then, as he squeezed his glass tighter still, angry with himself because he did not give her a chance to explain her incriminating actions.

_**My song is love  
My song is love, unknown**_

_We broke up so quickly … so hastily … _

_And it still haunts me to this day …_

_Because I still dream of her, what it might be like … what it would feel like to be with her, to express our love … to make love …_

_**But I'm on fire for you, clearly  
You don't have to be alone  
You don't have to be on your own**_

Already worry returned for his lost love, as if it never left him. Chloe dealt with a lot of difficult emotions all by herself, and Clark could already see the burdens she carried were extremely heavy. _Carried them all by herself …_ _Chloe, why won't you let me in? _Though the answer was obvious, Clark still wished she would. Forget past problems, forget all the pain they caused each other. None of that mattered in the face of real pain, pain that drove her across the world. Pain that prevented her from living. Pain etched on the very edge of her features, lightly, hardly noticeable … yet crippling.

**_And I'm not gonna take it back  
Oh I'm not gonna say I don't mean that_**

Clark thought heavily_, I want to help you, Chloe. I want to be there for you, I want to make it all go away. _

_We've done so much alone … and so much of it, we didn't have to … _

_All because of me … _

_Alone … because of me …_

Maybe Chloe could still read his thoughts.

_**You're the target that I'm aiming at  
And I'm nothing on my own  
Got to get that message home**_

Clark wished endlessly that Chloe could have been there for him, during his recent heartache. The loss of his father hit him hard, a pain deeper than anything he has ever felt before. Numerous nights he sat up in his loft, unable to sleep, unable to think of anything but the life he must lead without the man who raised him._ The same man, the father who made me feel normal, and_ _taught me almost everything I know._ So often he lay awake at night, wish Chloe's gentle caresses and soft words would lull him to sleep, a sleep that did not come to him while alone.

They both survived so much without each other in the past two years. And at first, Clark did not think being away from her would make much of a difference. Thought life would be the same, that his future would be just as fulfilling. Never did he imagine how desperately he truly needed her, not until now_ - _until he felt her presence again, until she washed away his hurt with just her bright, wonderful smile. For the first time since his father died, he felt whole again.

**_And I'm not gonna stand and wait  
Not gonna be there until it's much too late_**

With Chloe in his life again, it almost made losing his father bearable. Something he could live through, a chance to carry on, and do so with happiness, rather than regret.

_Because I know I cannot move on with my life alone …_

**_On a platform I'm gonna stand and say  
That I'm nothing on my own_**

Once again, the loss of his father strained him, the hurt so intense as to weaken him of all super strength. His eyes began to burn at the edges with tears, despite how hard he fought them. And within seconds, they slid down his crimson cheeks. He placed the glass of water down on his tray table, enabling him to cover his embarrassed, emotionally distraught face with his right hand.

Clark did not want anyone to see him like this. No one should.

**_And I love you, please come home_**

Before he could wipe his tears, before he could bite back the emotion, he felt a soft, smooth hand grasp his own still, left hand on the armrest of his seat. Fingers gracefully laced through his, as if they fit perfectly. As if they belonged there. When he took his other hand away from his face, Clark looked to Chloe, her eyes deep and inviting, full of sorrow. Full of concern. _For him. _

**_My song is love, is love unknown_**

Chloe let her thumb lightly trace the back of his hand, affection so simple, yet it stirred his soul. And, in silence laced with forgotten love, she reached a gentle hand to his face, and wiped his tears away.

_**And I've got to get that message home**_

_**----------------- **_

_end of update._

_More to come … _


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Okay, here is Part 1 of Chapter 3. Thank you to all of my reviewers and readers! Reviews always welcome.

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**_Chapter 3: Mamma Mia_**

**_Part 1_**

It took Chloe and Clark no time to hail a cab once they reached the outside of McCarren Airport in Las Vegas. Since this city was known as one of the biggest tourist attractions in the entire country, cab drivers tended to time their schedules around the arrival of airplanes full of tourists anxious and desperate for a ride across town. For many visitors who just survived the busy airport, already overcome with advertisements of live shows in Las Vegas and the unmistakable anthem of ringing slot machines, an available cab meant an escape and a welcome solution to help guide their way through the mass of confusion.

In fact, their cab driver, Chloe noted, offered them a prompt arrival to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the very hotel she and Clark would stay at throughout the duration of their investigation. And even though the hotel was located on the far end of the strip, twenty minutes into the cab ride and still able to see the tower of the hotel completely in the car window ensured Chloe they would actually end up paying an extra five dollars for the _scenic route._ Any other day, this might bother her, but having never been to the official adult playground of the Western Hemisphere before, the extra few minutes gave her a real chance to absorb the city completely. _Certainly a distinctive, unique atmosphere comparable to nothing else. _

Only mid afternoon, the sky was not quite dark enough to see the famous neon lights that so often characterized Las Vegas. But even without them, the skyline still looked pretty extraordinary.

As her first visit here, despite all she traveled the past two years, Chloe knew she should feel the same excited apprehension whenever she entered new territory to explore with her investigative eye. Yet her mind was neither on Las Vegas, nor on the reason she came, that being Lois' disturbing disappearance. Instead she seemed to concentrate mainly on the man who sat next to her in the backseat of the cab. Already Chloe could tell Clark's gaze of disbelief with this city matched her own. Though he has been to Las Vegas before, juiced with Red Kryptonite and overcome with hormonal passion for a crazed teleporter hardly gave him the chance to look around.

But his past transgression in this city was not really what she was thinking about at the moment, either.

If they were not separated by two years of anger, Chloe's attempt to ease Clark's pain while on the airplane just an hour before may feel justified. But those two years apart, under a devastating umbrella of despair and regret, essentially cancelled out everything they built together, along with it the reasons to even care about each other at all. Despite the distance, despite the anger, despite the distress, and despite her reservations, the forty-eight hours she has currently spent in Clark's presence already gave life to the love still beneath the surface of her soul. A love that has been in deep slumber for far too long.

_Lois' disappearance brought an unexpected confusion into my life, _Chloe mused. _A confusion, a hurt I wanted to bury. But without her disappearance … what I'm feeling now, with him … can I really give it all up again? Is this destiny's way of giving me another shot? Giving **us **another shot?_

A possibility Chloe never would have considered if she had not spent this time with Clark again, if she did not need him for Lois. Tragedy brought them together in the midst of their personal strife.

_Fate … _

Actually, something similar happened before. And she would even venture to conclude that without Clark's Red Kryptonite criminal run in Metropolis in the summer before their junior year of high school, their friendship may have faltered completely underneath the intense pressure of hurt feelings and distance that developed the year before. Only in the event of Clark's breakdown with Red K, which Chloe did not completely understand at the time, did their frail friendship gain strength to survive.

_Only when Clark finally trusted her with his feelings again._ _Only when he finally brought her back into his life, into his humiliation. A move of intimacy he did not even dare to do with Lana, a pain he could not bare for her to see. _

_Something he could only share with Chloe._

But the tragedy in Clark's life brought them together then …

Was this current situation the same thing?

Though Chloe would like it to be, the petty problems between them so long ago did not hold a candle to the seriousness of the difficulties in their friendship today. They could not just look past all of it, as if it never happened. Despite the current catastrophe they must face together, as well as the personal tragedies they wished sorely to share with each other, the still open wound in their relationship will continue to dominate completely until it is addressed with the care it deserves.

While her emotions and thoughts continued to battle continuously inside her head, Chloe neglected to notice their arrival at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Two lines of cars were formed up ahead, both full of cabs that either dropped off or picked up patrons for the huge hotel. In the line closest to the curb, once they reached directly parallel to the front doors, Clark nudged Chloe lightly. "Time to go."

Chloe sighed and then nodded. Her door opened via a hotel valet, a tall, handsome young man, who gave her a warm smile to welcome her arrival. "Good afternoon, ma'am. Welcome to Mandalay Bay."

"Thank you," she uttered quietly, while walking quickly to the trunk of the cab to retrieve her one and only suitcase for this trip.

"Let me get that for you," the valet urged, his appearance at her side quick and surprising.

Yet Clark grabbed the suitcase from the open trunk before the valet had a chance to offer his services. "Thanks, but no thanks. We can take it from here. Thank you, though."

Chloe almost smiled in spite of herself, quickly sensing a bit of jealousy in Clark. _Not that feeling jealous was ever a problem … for either of them, actually. _What was always lost in the customary blame of Chloe for their relationship problems was the very real fact that Clark also had a sin of his own while they were dating. _Well, after he caught me, of course … caught me in something that was never my fault._

By Lana alone did Chloe hear the story, because Clark conveniently neglected to tell her on the porch the night they decided to go their separate ways. What he did in reaction to his lover's transgression seemed to have no merit, or no value when measuring up the reasons for their break-up. When, actually, that was hardly true at all, at least in Chloe's mind. Whether Clark wanted her to know or not, her friend Lana ensured she knew the entire truth. Even if he did not go through with his intentions completely, Clark still should have told her that night on the porch, the night they made decisions on the actions of the previous twenty four hours.

_Clark …oh, Clark, you tried,_ Chloe thought silently, at the same time walking towards the entrance of the hotel. Chivalry at full strength, Clark hurried in front and opened the door for her, giving a smile as she walked in. Yet, her mind concentrated solely on the past, specifically Clark's actions … specifically what was always lost among the confusion of those few horrible days.

_Clark … maybe you don't know it … but I know what you tried to do the night you saw me with Lex. I only saw you race out of the room, enraged and upset. However, after you left, you went to a place I never thought you would go. And you went for revenge. You went … to Lana. Ready to give up our love to prove something to me, to pay me back … to cause me hurt just like I did to you. _

_And though you tried … Lana pushed you away. _

_Lana refused to get involved, refused to be a pawn … refused to turn her back on me, despite what you told her. _

_And though you never actually cheated on our relationship … your heart did. _

Spoken words, however, broke Chloe out of her silent reverie.

"Do you know what name our rooms are under?" Clark asked beside her, the front desk now only a few steps away from them.

As quickly as her thoughts flooded her consciousness, they dripped away just as quickly. Once the fog lifted, Chloe's eyes turned to Clark, instantly aware of the question he asked her. And without missing a beat, she answered with a small smile, "I think Perry and I agreed to have two rooms under Clark Kent. Since no one would have any idea who 'Clark Kent' really is, it's the perfect cover."

Though she wanted to come off a bit more sarcastic, Chloe knew it was best to tone it down slightly. In the interest of keeping Clark at a good distance away from her until they could truly discuss the obstacles in their friendship, _flirting _with him in anyway would only encourage him - and her for that matter - more.

Clark nodded and walked right up to the front desk, glad there were no lines to wait in. During the past few hours, all he and Chloe did was wait in lines, mostly at the airport – from security checks to actually getting on the plane itself. Going right to there room with no wait would only make their investigation go that much faster. Not to mention, of course, they would get to Lois just as quickly, as well.

"Reservations for Clark Kent," he said to the check-in woman behind the counter. She was probably in her forties, slightly aged and seasoned by life. Yet that did not take away from her outward beauty.

In fact, as she nodded slightly and started looking through the hotel's computer system, Clark did not realize he was actually staring at her.

However, Chloe, who spent most of her attention gazing at the exquisite lobby space, noticed it immediately and nudged him playfully in the ribs. Then said not so quietly, "Hey, flyboy."

As if jerked from a dream, Clark smiled sheepishly, and the embarrassment rose quickly to his cheeks in a bright red. Yet the woman on the other side of the counter did not seem to notice the little exchange. Or the jealousy that danced a bit in Chloe's eyes.

_Okay, so we're both jealous …still._

The woman smiled then and looked to both of them, her eyes glowing with surprise and happiness_. Strange,_ Chloe immediately thought, wondering whether all of Las Vegas hospitality fell under the category of uncomfortable.

However, it was what neither Clark or Chloe suspected.

"Ah," the woman swooned with a bright smile, "Mr. and Mrs. Kent. I see you're on your honeymoon."

Chloe stepped forward instantly, and in disbelief asked, "On our what?" Somewhere in the past few minutes, she remembered agreeing with herself to stay as far away from Clark as possible.

Whatever fate had planned for them was just not funny anymore.

The woman nodded, and insisted again, "Yes, that's what it says in our system. Because you're on your honeymoon, the first night is free. And it also seems you will be staying in our honeymoon suite."

Before Chloe could object further, however, Clark jumped in and grabbed Chloe's hand as good gesture as he looked to her with a delighted smile. "Of course we're on our honeymoon, sweetie," he reassured with a wink, his voice playing the role of a newly married man. He then looked back to the woman. "We just got married. It's still hard to get used to."

"It's okay, I understand," the woman said, her head at a tilt of sympathy before she turned back to the computer system.

Though Clark could not feel the pain, he could certainly feel the pressure of Chloe squeezing his hand tightly in protest. In response, he released her hand and instead circled his arm around her waist. Chloe then scowled at him, clearly unhappy with this current arrangement.

Not that she hasn't ever thought about this before. But in light of their past, the last role they needed to play with each other was husband and wife. _And newlyweds, as well. _ Still separated by a huge chasm, Chloe did not believe such role-playing would be good for them at all. Not at all.

Clark however, did not seem to notice the objections laced across the expressions of her beautiful face. Or, perhaps, maybe he did, but chose to ignore them. His grip on her waist, however, just grew a bit tighter as his smile turned sweeter. _Charm will not get you out of this one, Kent, _Chloe thought angrily, despite the flutter of her heart.

The woman then placed two key cards on top of the counter before them, along with brochures that advertised restaurants and shows in the hotel itself, as well as coupons for free drinks and free shrimp cocktails at any of their sister casinos. Clark finally released his hold on Chloe so he could grab their information. While Chloe took this chance to walk a way a bit from Clark and the entire situation, Clark stayed behind to get the last few instructions before they could head to their room.

And though the woman also offered to have someone help them with their bags, Clark shrugged the offer off in the interest of ensuring they would no longer have to keep the charade of marriage going any longer than they had to. _Because Chloe was pretty angry with me for just going with it, _Clark thought, a small smile breaking the plain of his lips.

Once Chloe and Clark traveled through the maze of the casino, it's comprehension a bit difficult at first, the path to the elevators of the hotel soon appeared. The rest of the hotel and casino looked about the same as the lobby, with the same combination of white, yellow, and trim of gold. Yet here and there would be blue to accentuate the decorations, making the hotel even more extravagant.

In minutes they stood in front of an elevator as other patrons of the hotel passed by them. Some were in swimming suits, heading to one of the many swimming pools outside of the hotel. Others were dressed nicely, perhaps going to a show, or perhaps to an early dinner.

But neither Clark nor Chloe seemed to notice, still mulling over the strange events just a few minutes before.

The elevator door before them soon opened, it's soft hum a tension breaker for only a second as they stepped into the vacant space. Luckily, they were alone, because Chloe did not think she would be able to keep her anger at bay much longer.

And once the doors closed completely, shutting them from the outside world, Chloe remarked angrily, "I can't believe you didn't correct her. Were you thinking with the right head?"

Clark looked to her, his eyes a little wide with her comment. "Hey, I saved our cover, that's what I did. What if they discovered we weren't married? What kind of unwanted attention would we get?"

Maybe Clark had a point. But Chloe would die before she acknowledged it, and moved the conversation on to another matter. "I thought Perry and I agreed to put it under one name and get two rooms. That was the professional thing to do. But, according to you and Perry, professionalism seems to fall off the face of the earth when you two have a chance to make me look like an idiot."

"Hey!"

"What! What?" Chloe asked, realizing how high her emotions had risen.

Clark smiled and insisted, "You know Perry had a point."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if Mr. Peterson is at all involved in Lois' disappearance, you know he will be keeping an extra eye on those who are checking into his hotels. If he saw _'Chloe Sullivan' _on his registry, our cover would be shot. And if he saw two rooms registered under _'Clark Kent'_, even that might tip him off," Clark explained.

"Okay, fine, maybe you're right … But I still don't like the idea of 'newlyweds'. We don't need to succumb to a highly over used, stereotypical cover-up, to hide who we really are," Chloe said.

Clark shrugged. "Well, it does cover us up even more. Mr. and Mrs. Kent hides your well known name, makes it quite clear why I'm here with my wife, and gives him no reason to suspect anything."

Chloe, however, still would not break the mask of discomfort with the entire situation from her face. And though she did not want to just let it happen, especially with her renewed vow to stay completely professional with Clark during the rest of the investigation, her instincts told her to surrender. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad … yeah, right._

When she did not say anything, however, Clark decided to move the conversation to something else. "So what now?"

The elevator doors opened then and both stepped out, each carrying their own suitcase as they walked through the labyrinth of hallways to get to their room. _The honeymoon suite, _Chloe grimaced. _Why does everything have to be so difficult?_

"I don't know … why don't you ask your lady friend behind the check-in desk?" Chloe asked, a hint of amusement breaking the tension of her features.

"Is that really necessary?" Clark asked.

"I think so, especially when I was just forced to marry you."

Clark sighed as they reached the door to their suite. "Fine, fine. You win. You always win."

"Of course, I do."

"So …?"

Chloe gave him a questionable look as she swiped the keycard through the slot to unlock their door. "So …" she repeated.

"Are you going to tell me what's next on the agenda?" Clark asked, insistence in his raised eyebrows, already annoyed with Chloe's play of ignorance.

_He was always cute when he looked just a tiny bit frustrated. _

She opened the door completely and walked in. "Well, before we go gallivanting around the busy Las Vegas strip, I think we should try to get a personal meeting with Peterson. And I'll try to get just a little bit more about him." She turned on one of the lamps nearest to her, illuminating a living room, with cushy couches and chairs, as well as a huge window to the far end that looked out onto the skyline of Las Vegas. "In the meantime," she continued, while placing her suitcase onto one of the couches to take out her laptop, "I think you should go and look around the city for awhile."

"What?" Clark asked, a little uncertain to her meaning.

"You know … _look_."

Clark smirked. "I thought you didn't want me to use my powers while I was here."

"No, no, I think my exact words were, 'I don't think you should fly around one of the busiest cities in the entire world, because someone is bound to notice you.' That didn't include _looking _around. Especially if it can save Lois immediately."

"Okay," Clark conceited lightly, though never really questioning Chloe's thought process in the first place. If she had not suggested he go look for Lois, then he would have. "So you'll be here when I return?"

"If I don't decide to divorce you before that, yes."

Clark nodded knowingly at her, once again trying to guard himself from her obvious abrasiveness and sarcasm towards the situation. With a sigh, he turned and left.

What he did not notice, however, was the small smirk that crossed Chloe's soft lips. She did love it when she frustrated him.

----------------------

end of part 1, chapter 3.

more to come


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Here's the next section. **

** -----------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 3: Part 2**

Once the Luthor Jet landed in Las Vegas, Lana knew her role in the investigation might turn into _spectator_ rather than active participant. Since the case now took them to a new world with new players, Lex seemed to be the perfect person to run the gauntlet in concern to the challenges that would arise before them. Challenges based on money, etiquette, secrecy, and business. And though he would be taking on a much larger role, Lana still took it upon herself to ensure Lex went through with the entire investigation.

_He won't give up before I give up …_

_And I won't give up until Lois is safe._

Via the file Lex gave her at the coffeehouse in Metropolis, Jason Boxer was previously a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. Among other illegal activities, he was mostly known for performing tasks for high profile people. A mercenary, of sorts. Further investigation discovered he came to Metropolis a few months ago, and only recently left when he had Lois Lane in his grasp. From that point, even Lex Luthor's investigators found it extremely difficult to follow Boxer when he already established a four-day head start. But interviews with those who knew him in Metropolis, as well as some unexplained luck, soon led the investigators back to his hometown.

Yet, though they followed him this far, the trail seemed to fade away completely once Lex and Lana finally arrived.

Lex Luthor's involvement, however, already proved to be extremely beneficial, and not just because he led them to the door step of Lois' possible location, but mainly due to his numerous business contacts in Vegas to help them in their search. Though Lana did not want to admit it, without Lex the investigation would be a flop. No matter her own attempts, only Lex could have gotten them to this point this quickly.

_So maybe my view of Lex is wrong … premature … maybe what he did with Chloe two years ago was a mistake he chose to forget._

Currently, both Lana and Lex sat at a huge round table in the middle of a meeting room lined completely on the outside by six-foot windows with an extraordinary view of Las Vegas. Though the building they were currently inside was certainly not the tallest, the view of the skyline was breathtaking nevertheless. In the center of the round table stood a small, black statuette of a running leopard, which fit extremely well with the overly gaudy, modern feel of the rest of the room. _Are we really in a law office? _Lana asked herself skeptically.

Douglas Franklin became one of the top lawyers in Las Vegas years ago, a success that came to him with the subtle help from LuthorCorp. Often he represented the huge corporation in legal, business cases, and remained an excellent contact of knowledge for Lex Luthor. Not only did Franklin have numerous files in concern to almost ninety-eight percent of the criminal court cases in Las Vegas, he also, as per his own criminal past, knew how the illegal underworld of the city operated.

And, according to Lex, would be the perfect person to ask about Jason Boxer. _Most importantly, whom he worked for._

Lex sighed slightly, only a minuscule hint of nervous anticipation under his skin. Mainly because he knew whatever they might find here would have a direct effect on the success of their case. To the success of finding Lois Lane. _And … well, helping Lana,_ Lex thought with a small smile. Helping Lana quickly became a consolation price for him, knowing full well the unmistakable gratitude she would feel. Despite what happened in the past, despite what happened with Chloe and Clark, and his _unfortunate_ role in their demise, Lana would have to recognize his selflessness. His self-sacrifice for the safety of Lois Lane. The money he has already spent. _Not that money ever mattered much, _Lex reminded himself. _But Lana must see it … everything I have risked and will risk to see that my best reporter is safe. To see that Lana is happy again._

The latter of which will be a much higher personal satisfaction for him.

As his eyes looked over to the object of his current thoughts, Lex noticed Lana was also a bit nervous. Her hands were folded on the table as her eyes continued to travel the exterior of the room. With a small smile, he reached his hand across and covered hers with his own. In reaction, she turned to face him.

"Nervous?" he asked in a whisper.

Lana nodded and then turned away from him. "I just want Lois to be safe."

In a way, Lex admired Lana's fortitude. _Uncompromising fortitude is more like it. _Though she has displayed this very trait before, only now did he seem to notice its unshakable foundation. When she wanted something badly enough, Lana did not quit the game until she won. And for the first time, Lex realized how much they really did have in common. "I'm sure Franklin can help us," he reassured her, his smile growing a bit more comforting.

Lana smiled with kindness in return, though it was a mask to the still ever present reservations with Lex's overall involvement in the case. A distant worry in the back of her mind that flickered the same deep red as that of a warning light that brought attention to the explosion yet to come. _Did I make a mistake?_

"Lois' life depends on it," Lana whispered, her eyes dripping with unresolved concern.

"I know," Lex said.

Without another word, the door to the huge meeting room opened to reveal a clean-cut man dressed in a three-piece suit. His dark hair was slicked back, which only accentuated his slim, yet sophisticated features. Tall, lanky, and carrying an aura of intimidation, his face did not break into a smile until he saw Lex. And it took him ten seconds to cross the room and shake the billionaire's hand. "Lex. This is a surprise."

Lex stood and gestured to Lana, who immediately stood up. "Lana Lang."

"My pleasure, indeed," he said as he took her hand a kissed it, his smile a hint to his immediate attraction for the beautiful woman before him. And Lana could not help the flush of red that rose to her cheeks, more in embarrassment than flattery. _Attraction that I don't really want right now._

However, Lex chimed in quickly, ensuring Franklin's moment with Lana would last no longer. "You said you might be able to help us." Back to business, and business only.

Franklin turned to his friend, a small smirk breaking the line of his lips. He gestured for Lex and Lana to sit back down as he shifted to a seat across from his two guests. "You were pretty vague on the phone. I was being optimistic."

Lex leaned forward a bit in his chair, his hands folded on the table, merely to stress the importance of his friend's candor. Anything at this point would be a positive step for the case, especially when someone's life was on the line. _And not just Lois' life. _"I need some sensitive information concerning a Vegas local."

"Who?" Franklin asked, his brow furrowed in interest.

In a quick motion, Lex reached to the briefcase that sat next to his chair to retrieve the same manila folder he presented to Lana in the coffee house back in Metropolis. And with a small smile, he pushed it across the table to his friend. Though Lex did know the name of the man inside the folder, playing the game cagey seemed the best tactic so as not to influence his friend's thought process. Franklin was a close friend, but friendship, in the face of business, sometimes only went so far. The possibility that his friend would not tell them anything was a true scenario. _Maybe the police already spoke to him, maybe this guy already threatened him. Maybe he was working for someone else. _

Whatever the reason might be for Franklin to be anything but forthcoming was enough to warn Lex to keep his own hand hidden well.

"You tell me," he finally said, after the second of debate in his mind.

Franklin hesitated initially, as if afraid to get involved at all. But his concern did not last long, and under intense curiosity took the folder and opened it. And almost immediately, both Lana and Lex could tell he recognized the man's face in the file, his reaction a mixture of faint surprise and intrigue. "Where did you see him?" Franklin asked, playing his own game of cat and mouse.

Lana spoke up quickly. "Metropolis."

After a few seconds of silence, Lex finally pressed, "Do you know him?"

"What did he do?" Franklin countered with only a hint of a smile.

Lex smiled back. "Does it matter?"

Franklin laughed softly now, unable to mistake the technique each of them used on the other. Neither wanted to let the other know what they knew, afraid that one slip might show too much too soon. Yet, honestly, what Franklin knew might not be nearly as sensitive in comparison to what Lex might know of this man. Though Lex usually did things when there was something in it for him, this time seemed slightly different. Of course, whatever Lex did was always beneficial for him in someway, but this time much more seemed to be at stake. And Franklin only saw this, as he looked in Lana Lang's eyes, desperate and waiting for him to answer. I_To give them anything._/I

He then looked back to the face in the file before him. "This is Jason Boxer," he said finally.

"So you do know him?" Lex asked, continuing to press.

Franklin nodded. "Yeah, I've seen him around Vegas. He's a local, well known criminal."

"What kind of crimes does he commit?" Lana asked, edging slightly forward in her seat.

Franklin almost chuckled at the innocence in the woman's eyes, aware that for her it was that simple. "Jason Boxer is a mercenary. He's hired by some of the richest people in Vegas to do odd jobs."

"Jobs?" Lex asked, his eyes growing in anticipation.

"Right. Usually of the illegal nature, but not all the time. Actually, we've been trying to catch Boxer for months, but we've been unable to locate him," Franklin revealed subtly.

_So maybe if Franklin knows, he may be willing to help knowing that we are also looking for Boxer, _Lex reasoned to himself. "He's been in Metropolis for the past three months," he offered, furthering Lana's earlier admission slightly.

Franklin pursed his lips. "So I guess I can go back to one of the my original questions, and ask what he did."

Lex sighed, aware he would have to give a bit more to get anything in return. "He kidnapped someone in Metropolis and brought them back to Vegas."

"Who?" Franklin asked immediately.

At that, Lex smiled easily and leaned back in his chair. "I don't think you need to know that, " he said coolly.

Franklin nodded and leaned back in his chair for emphasis. _Boy, do I love playing these games with Luthors, _he said dryly to himself. "So what do you want from me?" he said, his voice laced with just the slightest tint of surrender. And he only did so because of the eyes of the Lana Lang, which spoke volumes to the nature of their visit. _A visit of desperation and need. Constant, unwavering anxiety. _

Lex sighed once again. "Well, we need to know who Boxer may be working for."

"I could give you a list. There's no way to truly pinpoint who it may be," Franklin began regrettably, yet in the next second he caught himself. _Did they say kidnap and then bring back to Vegas? _"Well, it could be Peterson," he added, though more of a whisper to himself.

"Peterson?" Lana asked, her eyes growing. She could feel it now … _we're close._

Lex, however, answered for her with his eyes locked on Franklin, "James Peterson. A businessman in Las Vegas. He owns much of the real estate in the city."

Franklin smirked. "That's right. He tends to hire most frequently, especially Boxer. For a big job like kidnapping and transporting back to Vegas, well … that takes money and influence. Something that Peterson has the most of. Plus, he also has the means to hide someone in one of the busiest cities in the world."

"But what reasons would he have to take … ?" Lana began, but then caught herself. _That's right …we're not revealing Lois' name. _

Lex, noticing the slip, quickly interjected, "Thank you, Franklin. You've been a big help."

He nodded and offered, "Did you still want the list of names related to Boxer?"

Lex shrugged. "Sure."

"I'll have the list faxed to you then."

"Great."

Franklin then stood, and quickly Lex and Lana followed his lead. "Then, I guess this meeting is finished."

Lana reached her hand to him for good measure, and he readily shook it. "Thank you for helping us."

_Helping us, indeed, _Lex thought quietly as they began to walk out of the room and back into the long hallway that lead to the elevators. _He gave us exactly what we needed. A name, a place to start. In fact_, Lex thought with a small smile, _he gave me exactly what I wanted._

_-----------------------_

_Reviews welcome! More to come. _


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Next section of Chapter 3. It's rather long. Thanks to all who have been reading this story. :-) **

** ------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 3: Part 3 - **

The Mandalay Bay Resort, though known for its simplistic luxury, did not compare in the least to The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. Actually, only Caesar's Palace dared to be compared with such extravagant beauty known in the latter, a feat not easily surmounted. Along with such beauty, however, came expense, and the Venetian was one of, if not the most, expensive resort to stay at in all of Las Vegas. Despite that statistic, Chloe could not help but dream as they walked through The Venetian – dream that one day she might spend her honeymoon here. How could any red-blooded, American young female not dream? Especially when she found it extremely difficult to remember that she and Clark were actually inside of a _building_, rather than walking the streets and along the storefronts of some hidden, small, charming town in Italy. Dressed in such Italian décor', and not to mention under a ceiling painted like the blue skies in Europe, Chloe easily lost herself in what it could be.

_Maybe … someday … maybe not here, maybe not in Vegas … but maybe, someday … _

And yet, Chloe could not help but let her thoughts run in the direction they begged to go. … _maybe … maybe on the arm of Clark Kent._

Once again, she had to stop such rambling thoughts, knowing full well how things were left between them two years ago. The unforgettable and uncomfortable state of their current, _on the rocks, _friendship. It did not matter how much she wished it all to be different. Because, in the end, feelings were still hurt. Wounds still needed time to heal. And it was not nearly as simple as her heart was trying to make it. _Why I must stay away, why I must protect both Clark and I from the heartbreak that is sure to come if we let this go too far … too far without the closure of what must be solved between us._

And though Chloe currently fumbled with the idea of being with Clark again, loving him again, and allowing herself to feel anything for him again, she also could not deny the warning signals inside of her soul. As if a reminder of what happened, how he did not trust her, and how she tasted the rich texture of a different kind of freedom. Freedom from the hurt, from the everlasting intoxication of Clark Kent. And when she did allow herself to love again after Clark left, she felt trusted, and, most importantly, _felt love in return. _

_A combination I've never felt before. No matter how much I have loved Clark, no matter how much I have given him … the hole in our relationship makes everything else disappear. It always made everything else disappear. _

_Because Clark never … despite his insistence … trusted me completely._

_And I wonder if he ever will. _

_If he even wants to still … _

_If he's even willing to share … to let me love him the way I want to … _

_To love him … and everything that comes with him … _

_Here I go again, _Chloe thought with disdain. _Why can't I let it go? Why do I continue to give Clark a chance to hurt me? Why do I continue to believe there is a chance for happiness between us?_

And, actually, no matter how much Clark promised her, no matter how much he testified his love for her, and no matter how much he vowed to keep her safe, in the end … Chloe has always been hurt. Somehow, someway …

Like any good reporter, as she considered all of the events, Chloe found it difficult not to assume the obvious. _Maybe, just maybe, we're not meant to be together. Maybe … all we have seen as hurt and pain are actually signs for the inevitable._

Although her heart, mind, and soul wanted to continue this difficult debate, Chloe knew this was not the time. Ironically, such excuses seemed to be at the root of her procrastination to address the problems she still has with Clark, the same that have hung on. And they would only go away when she pushed no longer. _Until they finally let each other dive into the other's soul once again. When they were no longer afraid. _

With a sigh, Chloe continued to walk and gaze at the intricate work of the resort, astonished with the exquisite detail in the statues, the storefronts with merchandise only for those with overflowing bank accounts, as well as the little accessories to put the Italian atmosphere of the hotel over the top. One such accessory included a small river actually inside the resort; complete with gondola rides available to those willing to pay fifteen bucks. The rowers who accompany the gondola riders sing love songs with voices so naturally beautiful and subtly powerful that the sound echoes, bounces, and travels through most of the resort. As if it traveled on the air of Italy itself.

_Even more romance_, Chloe mused as she gazed at two particular people, a man and woman, who kissed sweetly as they took a ride in a gondola boat. Though she did not want to think this way, already the nostalgic image of sitting in a romantic setting, such as a gondola ride with Clark's arms wrapped lovingly around her, filled Chloe's consciousness. Despite her reservations, despite her wish to move on, and despite the hurt, Clark Kent hovered and surrounded her heart like a dense fog. A fog she wished to lose herself in completely.

_Or perhaps a fog I must break out of … _

Beside her, Clark remained mostly quiet, mulling over his own unsuccessful search for Lois through Vegas just hours before, as they continued to walk through the long stretch of the resort. The only reason why they have taken such a tour was because of their own ignorance as to the location of a certain nightclub in the Venetian called _The V Bar. _Ignorance in Vegas leads to long walks through confusing casinos, and Chloe and Clark were no exception. Dressed in a long, red cocktail dress to fit the occasion, Chloe almost felt out of place among the other casual-looking sightseers. Though Clark was also dressed in nice attire, a black silk shirt laced with intricate designs, and black pants, Chloe still felt as if everyone's eyes were on her rather than the handsome man next to her.

"How far is this place?" Clark asked her in a whisper.

Chloe swallowed nervously, afraid they may have missed it, and also ashamed with her own horrible, investigative practices if she did indeed make that mistake. She did not want to draw any more attention than they already have, desperate to hide among the crowds of Vegas. And maybe she should have figured, dressed in such nice clothes, would attract some attention the more they walked through the busy city. But it was needed, because in _The V Bar_ was their next clue. And they needed to blend in as they investigated, as if they belonged there.

Probably whoever did see them would only care for that split second and go on with their own vacation. That was the hope, anyhow.

As if they were a couple enjoying the nightlife of the Las Vegas strip, Chloe had hesitantly laced her arm through Clark's. Which, Chloe mused ironically, would be their cover. _But it seemed the most logical. The story that would arise barely any suspicion. _

"I think it's just up this way," Chloe promised, yet said further under her breath, "It better be."

As they walked, their pace quickened slightly, and Clark broke contact from Chloe for only a second so he could reach down and grab her hand instead. "I'm sure we'll find what we're looking for," he reassured with a comforting smile.

_He knows how much this is affecting me. How much I miss Lois. How much I would give anything to have her back, safe. _

With a weak smile, Chloe squeezed his hand in return. "I think we will, too." Whatever reservations, whatever nerves told her otherwise seemed to melt underneath the shining smile of Clark Kent. _Everything would be okay. It had to be. _

In less than a second, the entrance to _The V Bar _came into view. Known as one of the hotspots for nightlife in Las Vegas, Clark and Chloe were not here for such a reason. Chloe, during her research, discovered a former employee of James Peterson worked as a bartender at _The V Bar. _Actually not just a former employee, but also known as a top executive, as well. _Fired after ten, loyal years of surface. And fired recently, _Chloe thought with a smile. _A perfect place to start. The perfect person to ask for information._

Honestly, Chloe did not know where this meeting might lead them. _If anywhere_. She knew they were taking a big leap of faith here, because this former employee might not give them anything to go on. Perhaps loyalty did go far, and perhaps he was not fired for the reason Chloe suspected; _he knew too much. _A totally instinctive conclusion, Chloe knew. The reporter's bread and butter, what separated the mediocre from the truly special investigators. Actually, she did pride herself on such instinct, because it was almost always right. _This time, it just has to be right._

They approached the entrance, and immediately Chloe felt the scale tip to their side when they did not have to wait in a line to get in _Eight thirty at night must be a slow time for them_, Chloe concluded. The doorman nodded to them and opened the door, giving them access to the world beyond. She let Clark lead her through the door and into the huge space, which was already full of people to the maximum capacity.

The décor of _The V Bar _was simple and luxurious in shades of off-yellow, sandy brown, and subtle orange. The bar itself sat at the left, with square barstools lining its entire perimeter. Fancy benches, with the backrests in the middle so as to allow people to sit on both sides of the seat, occupied the entire length of the right wall. Tables separated each bench from the next, a statement of style as well as convenience.

Though crowded, Clark was able to slide carefully through the people to the bar ahead, where only one seat lay unoccupied. Without question, he offered the stool to his _date, _while they waited for the bartender to notice them. Chloe began to gaze around the room, her eyes trained to see the unusual wherever possible. Because the conditions felt so close and claustrophobic, Clark was forced to move a bit closer to her, his presence hovering over her small form. Though she would never admit this to him, especially now, such close proximity caused the heat to rise underneath her skin. _Nervous … I'm never nervous around Clark. Even when we were together, I was never nervous. _

"What can I get ya?" the bartender finally yelled to them over the crowd noise.

Clark smiled and leaned in next to Chloe, and asked, "Bud Light?"

"Glass of White Zin'," Chloe added quickly, and the bartender nodded his acknowledgement and moved away.

Beside her, Clark placed money on the counter, and moved close to her ear, his breath causing her to flinch with such close contact. _Stop being nervous! Why are you nervous? You don't have to be. You've already said you don't want anything more from him. Right? _Breaking through her thoughts, he said, loudly enough for her to hear over the crowd but no one else, "I'm going to go look around. I'll be back."

Chloe nodded, and urged him to go. She could handle this interview herself, if there was one at all. Actually, they were really taking a huge chance that the man they were looking for was working tonight at all.

When the beer and wine came, Clark nodded to the bartender and took his drink, and suddenly drifted into the crowd. Chloe slid her drink closer to her, all the while leaning in to grab the bartender's attention. "Excuse me, sir!"

Though it did not seem loud, it was enough to cause the bartender to turn towards her in interest. "Yes? You need something else?"

Chloe looked carefully from side to side, for some reason a bit suspicious of her surroundings. Maybe she was being a bit paranoid, which was probably true. And maybe she was just a bit more protective of her conversations, aware of the sensitivity of the case. Whatever the reason, Chloe took a careful second before she finally gave in and asked, her curiosity too strong to submerge within her mind, "Do you know a Mr. David Anthony?"

The bartender's eyes grew slightly as he asked, "Who wants to know?"

Chloe sighed, knowing this question might come up. She just shrugged casually, and lied, "A friend. I knew him when he worked for the MGM."

The man before her just gave her another look before he nodded, and admitted, "He's working the other side of the bar. I'll tell him you're here."

Chloe nodded, and smiled sweetly, "Thanks."

He then left and was lost to the far end of the bar. Chloe almost felt an impulse to leave; unaware of what possible danger may be awaiting her once she opened this stale can of worms. But, as any good reporter knew, it was her responsibility to expose the truth, no matter how foul or grotesque it might be. And this David Anthony might be the smoking gun she and Clark needed to find Lois. At the very least, he could give them another puzzle piece.

What Chloe feared, of course, is that he would give them nothing. A fear so strong as to cause her heart to beat just a bit faster as another man appeared from around the corner of the bar and walked towards her direction, a white towel strewn over his left shoulder. The man was slim and tall, with dark features and dark eyes. Clean-shaven and strong, yet in his eyes Chloe would dare to say he carried many burdens. _Just like me, _Chloe admitted. _Just like me._

He stepped to her with a small smile, and asked, "Can I help you?"

Chloe nodded and took a quick sip of her wine to solve the dryness in her throat. Usually, interviews did not worry her this much. This one did. Because she knew how much depended on it. The life that waited, most likely in some danger. "You're David Anthony?"

David nodded a little hesitantly. "Yeah."

"You used to work for the MGM Grande? For a James Peterson?" Chloe asked, dabbling in the dangerous waters carefully and subtly.

David then shifted a bit nervously, something Chloe caught on to quickly. It was not difficult to notice how certain questions affected those she interviewed. Most of the time, reactions gave her an excellent window into the person. And more often than not, Chloe tended to thrive on such displays of emotion. _He's nervous … why? Did he see something he should not have? Did his work end badly? Was he forced to swear not to say anything before he left? Or did he want to share it, but afraid someone would catch him? _

The one question above all that stirred her mind in a tailwind was '_what does he know?'. Because now, I can see … he knows something._

"Yes," David finally admitted, though he stepped a bit away from Chloe. As if to subtly suggest that this conversation was not going to last much longer.

_I don't have much time …_

"Can you tell me why you left?" Chloe asked.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it's important."

David breathed deeply as he began to prepare a White Russian for a customer. "I don't see how my past job failures is any business of yours."

Chloe then reached over and grabbed the man's wrist, forcing him to look at her directly in the eye. The urgency danced in her features, something she was sure this David Anthony could see. This was no game, and she was not some snoopy reporter looking for a story, or looking for a reason to pry in a world she did not belong. _Someone's life was in danger_. "I want to know what you know of James Peterson."

David sighed, unable to discount this woman's need of answers he did not want to give. The same answers that would only lead her into water that was deeper than what she was already in. And though he normally would not have said anything more, _something _in those pleading eyes before him spoke to his heart. "I was fired," he whispered, glancing away from Chloe.

"Why?"

David quickly finished the White Russian before handing it over to the customer a little further down the bar before he returned to her. Wiping his hands on the white towel over his left shoulder, he answered, though a bit vaguely, "I discovered something I wasn't supposed to know."

Chloe fidgeted with her bar napkin and looked away from him casually. Wherever this conversation was going to go, she sensed something helpful would come from it. "What did you find?" she asked quietly.

David took his own scan of the area before he revealed, "Let's just say Peterson was doing illegal business outside of Las Vegas. I saw some of the files indicating action in Metropolis, Kansas. But that's all I can tell you." That's all he dared to say, actually.

"Wait, that's it? No offense, but even I know that's just the tip of the iceberg," Chloe remarked sarcastically, tension building in her chest. "There has to be more you can tell me."

David shrugged and looked away again. "I didn't look much further than that. And even if I did, I certainly would not tell some I hardly know." He then began to back away, and grimaced, "Trust me, you don't want to know anymore."

"But I do. I need to find out as much about Peterson as possible," Chloe urged, her eyes continuing to search for anything to hold onto in David's face.

David shook his head, stepped away, and pleaded quietly, "Please don't ask me anything else. I just … want to get as far away from this as possible."

Chloe huffed quietly and looked away briefly before she turned and stated in a soft whisper, "I have only one more question then, and if you answer it truthfully, I promise I'll leave you alone." She could already tell her insistence had driven him further away than she wished. But there was not a lot she could do about it. The insistence was natural, the urgency normal. And Lois' life depended on frankness and a quick learning curve of the situation she got herself into.

David nodded and conceded reluctantly, "Okay. But only one more. I don't want anyone to know I'm talking about this."

Chloe only had one question, which was the most important. And she prayed to God and the angels above that he would answer truthfully. Some clue, some direction, anything to lead them to Lois. _Anything at all_. "Does Peterson have any locations he keeps hidden? Places he likes to go that no one else knows about?"

"Why do you think I would even know about something like that?" David asked, a bit defensively.

Chloe smiled sweetly. "Because even you admitted that you saw things you shouldn't have. And you _were_ known as one of his best known, loyal sidekicks, right?"

"A sidekick he fired," David muttered.

She shrugged sheepishly. "A sidekick who knew almost everything about him?"

David huffed this time and leaned back to pick up a pad of paper that sat next to the nearby cash register. He jotted down something quickly, folded it neatly in a square, and then slid it carefully across the bar surface to Chloe. He sighed heavily before he insisted, "This may help you. I only saw what I saw, and most of it was business. But this … well, this person saw the type of illegalities you're asking about."

Chloe reached over and took the paper carefully in her hand, squeezed it tight as if it did not exist. _Maybe paranoid … but I have to be careful._

"Now, if that's it, ma'am, have a good night," he urged roughly, and in seconds he was gone from her immediate sight.

The small piece of paper might as well have been burning a hole in her hand, and Chloe could think of nothing else save rushing back to their hotel room and discovering its contents. Which instantly led her to wonder about the unknown whereabouts of Clark, who seemed absorbed in the atmosphere of the nightclub that surrounded her. Though she almost jumped off the stool to go look for him, she then immediately stopped herself before making that mistake. If anything, getting separated right now by lines and lines of tourists would be an unexpected obstacle she did not want to add to the already roaring fire of problems.

_I'm sure he'll be back soon. It's better to wait here, because he knows where I am. If not … then, well, maybe I will go back to the room. He should assume I'm there eventually, right?_

Suddenly, Chloe felt a tall presence emerge from the cloud of people behind her, and when she turned, ready to spit out a sarcastic remark to her always late and missing friend, a stranger appeared next to her instead. Though he stood at almost the same height as Clark, his hair was a sandy blonde, his shoulders seemed wider, and he was dressed in red rather than black. She sighed and turned away, slightly disappointed, her urgency to leave growing with each second Clark was gone. Yet, the stranger next to her did not want to leave their impromptu meeting without, at least, a hello.

"I haven't seen you around here before," he breathed next to her, the smell of alcohol so potent as to almost cause Chloe to faint. _Mix it with the unbearable heat due to the closeness of so many people in this small space; I can't believe I haven't passed out yet._

With a smirk, Chloe remarked with a sly grin, "Come up with that one all by yourself?"

The man laughed awkwardly, and insisted, "Just for you, baby."

Chloe almost laughed herself. _Okay, now it's time to go. _"You know what, I'm sure another girl would love your attempts at flattery, but I just don't have time for the drunk and disorderly today," she said, rich with sarcasm, though her voice struggled to fight the volume of the people around them. With a snippy comment such as hers, Chloe fully expected the man to leave her alone.

But when Chloe stepped off the stool to move away from the situation entirely, the man swiftly moved in front of her and blocked her escape. _He was nothing if not persistent, _she thought wryly.

"I know you don't mean that. I'm sure, if you spent some time with me, you'd see how such a great guy I am," he said with a wide smile.

Chloe nodded absently, and attempted to push him subtly away from her as she reassured in a dry tone, "I'm sure you're a love machine, but I think I'll have to pass with great regret."

The man, however, would not budge.

"Why don't I take you back to my place," he yelled in her ear, his arms already trying to encircle around her waist.

Chloe's mind began to whirl a bit, aware of how serious this had suddenly become. Men have tried to flirt with her before, _even Clark_, and every time Chloe used her sarcasm to block their advances. _I've never dealt with a man where my tactics of aversion didn't work, _she thought quickly, as an intense apprehension grew quickly inside her chest.

With a little more insistence, along with a failed attempt at force, Chloe said roughly, "Just let me by and go back to the hole you crawled out of."

The man chuckled lightly, and pushed her back into the bar behind them. "Come on, baby."

Chloe's pulse rate quickened slightly, and while she debated on whether it was prudent to take up Lana's advice and hit the guy in the groin, he was suddenly pulled away from her completely. And within seconds, Clark appeared and acted as a barrier between her and the obnoxious man. _Have I said how many advantages there are with having a natural born hero as a friend?_

Clark looked to Chloe with concern, and then turned to the man ahead. "I think she said no," he said strongly.

Chloe, knowing full well who would win this battle, stepped up to Clark and laced her arm through his. "Come on, let's go," she whispered, urging him to follow her out of the club. The last thing they needed was a bar fight, only another way to shout to the world that Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent were here investigating the disappearance of Lois Lane. After already surviving quite a few close calls, Chloe was even more determined to keep their presence here as secretive as possible.

_Not to mention the small piece of paper still tightly held in my palm … _

Clark sensed her thoughts and backed away; fully aware of the risks he would take if he chose to play out his hothead intentions. His father taught him better than that, especially when Clark could easily win almost every battle he might be in. Just because he has such power does not mean he should use it carelessly. _Especially at a crucial time such as this. When lives were in danger._

_There was much more to do here than fight._

Though he initially hesitated, Clark then followed Chloe's instructions and let her lead him towards the door, turning his back completely to the man as they walked away. And if the man said nothing else, both Clark and Chloe would have been happy to leave the situation just like that. Much more needed their attention, and this event was merely an unpleasant bump in their investigation. Hardly in need of a second thought.

Yet the man would not let it go.

"Fine, take her. I'm sure she's worth every penny," he sneered lazily, as he picked up his beer for a drink.

Clark turned quickly in that instant, a dose of pure anger rising quickly to the whites of his eyes. And all normal inhibitions he used to keep himself in check while in such frustrating conditions melted away completely as if they never existed. What was left burned as rage, burned as revenge, burned as something deeper, as something to prove, as a need to put this man exactly where he belonged. Raw emotions driven completely by the sudden surge of a deep devotion he thought he buried two years ago.

In a flash, he left Chloe's side, the shout of his name on her lips barely heard above the rush of air due to his super speed and the crowd noise around him. The man did not have a chance to catch on to what was going to happen; so quick and decisive were Clark's actions. And without such warning, the man experienced a rude awakening with a fist to his face, which had enough power behind it to send him sailing across the entire length of the room. Only when he landed hard on the floor, unable to catch his breath, did he realize anything had happened at all.

Only when he saw Clark standing in the middle of the room, in the exact spot he once stood, did the events of the past few seconds finally begin to make sense. _How did he come so quickly? How did I miss it? Am I that drunk?_

"Clark!" Chloe shouted, this time heard quite well over the silence of the room. Everyone else, so shocked with Clark's display of power, remained utterly quiet in anticipation of what might happen next. Though, the dismayed and lost look on the man's face almost ensured no retaliation.

Chloe walked to him quickly and grabbed his arm, her anger evident in her beautiful features. She's seen Clark do such things before, but never on full display for all to see. And not in the name of senseless reasons. If anything, Chloe has learned during the past few years the truly delicate nature of Clark's powers, his origins, and what all of it might mean to the wrong type of people. Ever since she discovered his true background, she did all that was possible to ensure it remained a secret. Maybe it might be considered a burden, perhaps even a hassle for those who did not care.

But for Chloe … it was always an honor. Something she could give back.

Even when they fought … even when they lived far away from each other, physically and emotionally … she still kept his origins deep inside her heart. A secret she would tell no one. A promise fulfilled by love that never left completely.

"Clark! Come on, let's go," she insisted again, the anger in her voice melting into a sting of bitterness.

Clark, still remotely taken by the weak stare of the man now injured on the floor, barely let Chloe move him. Only when she tightened her grip, when she urged him to turn, did he realize the result of his actions. Granted, he did not use the amount of force he could have. He knew it would not take much of his strength to kill. A responsibility that always lingered in everything he did. _But I certainly didn't hold back much, either. _

In Chloe's eyes, he saw the need for haste.

_Managers, hotel personnel, police … all were certain to come, ask questions … something we can't afford right now. And not just because they might find out about me. _

And with one last look back at the destruction left in his wake, along with the awe-struck faces of the fellow patrons of the club, Clark let Chloe finally lead him out the door.

----------------------------

Chloe did not say one word to Clark throughout the journey back to their hotel room. Though she wanted to, she thought it best to keep her feelings at bay until they were behind closed doors. Clark must have sensed her anger, because he also remained quiet, willing to wait until they could really talk about what happened in the nightclub. They seemed to leave quick enough to keep their identity a secret for a little bit longer, and if odds were in their favor, perhaps the man Clark hit would not try to take the matter any further. _Especially when Clark was only protecting me from the man's sexual harassment. _ _It would not be in his best interest to press the issue._

Clark let his mind wander a bit as they walked the last section of the strip towards their hotel entrance. Honestly, he knew what he did in the nightclub was premature, and perhaps it jeopardized their chances of finding Lois alive. A move, as he looked back, he would probably take back in the interest of ensuring the success of their mission here. Yet, even as he promised himself this, he also questioned the merit of such words. _But what about Lois? What is more important than her safety? Nothing._

_But … I still wouldn't take it back. I would do it again. Because the guy deserved it … _

_Did he? Did I really do that? _

_Did I let my emotions take over? _

_Emotions … anger, rage … and … something else … _

A something that gave him relief in recent moments of anguish and hurt with the loss of his father. Something that forced him to awake from his nightmares every night before they overtook him completely. Something that gave him comfort, a reason to keep living. _A reason to breathe._

The entrance to Mandalay Bay came to view, and within seconds they were inside the building. Once past the lobby, Chloe quickened her pace to the elevators, which forced Clark to hurry his own pace to keep up. Though it was not that funny, he could not help but let a small smile cross his lips in reaction to Chloe's predictability. _I remember now … whenever she's angry, she likes to do that … walk away, and quickly … not talk. How could I forget?_

Considering the pace she was currently at, Clark would guess Chloe was extremely angry with him. And, really, she did have every right to be. He did make a mistake, and he admits that. A mistake he usually does not make, something he hopes Chloe will understand. Sometimes, a moment is strong enough to take over all rational thought. And sometimes a person just rubs someone else the wrong way. But, as his father always warned, Clark's reactions in such situations hold a bit more responsibility than the normal person. _Anger for me means destruction in a very vast definition … or, at least … there is a strong possibility it can mean that. _

_Tonight … it did. _

_But … I was protecting her … _

_I just… needed to do it. I couldn't walk away._

_Not from that. Not from the feeling deep inside my soul … a feeling that found new life … _

The elevator took them to their floor, once again in silence. The doors opened with a quiet _whoosh, _and Chloe walked out into the blue colored hallways. No other sounds were made save for the soft padding of their shoes across the soft carpet below their feet. The air smelled like any normal hotel, a type of cleanliness that seemed to characterize every sport Chloe has ever stayed in on her travels throughout the world. Yet, she did not think nostalgically of such memories at the moment, her mind steamed to the brim with the flash of scenes from the nightclub.

The door to their room appeared once they rounded the corner, and Chloe could not help but notice how close Clark was behind her as they walked. _If anything, he should know to stay a good distance away. He'll need it when I'm done with him. _She unlocked the door with the swipe of her keycard, and suddenly they were inside the cool, air-conditioned, dark room.

Clark moved past her, through the first room of the suite, and into the next to sit on the bed, flipping the switch of the small lamp on the nightstand to enlighten the space a bit. Though he wanted to just go to bed, to forget what he did in the nightclub, to treat it as a bad dream, Chloe was not about to let him get by that easily. Of course, he would even admit further that his actions were completely uncharacteristic of him. Something he never did. Well, unless he was on red kryptonite, of course.

But this time, with no Red K … there was no explanation save that he just lost his head in a heated moment of confrontation.

And that was the story he was ready to go with.

The only story he was willing to share.

Chloe, on the other hand, would drill him until she was satisfied with his answers. And his latter reasoning would not suffice with the woman who knew him better than anyone else in his life, his own mother being the only exception.

But she would just have to accept it.

A few more seconds passed in silence as Chloe walked the length of the suite, set her red, matching purse on the sofa and then moved into the bedroom where Clark sat by himself, hands folded. No sufficient words seem available to fully express the outrage that rose deep inside her heart. They were extremely lucky that no police or hotel personnel tried to contact them thus far, a blessing in the least. But the mistake made could have been a large one, the back-breaker for their fragile investigation. A foul-up that, honestly, Chloe did not even imagine Clark might commit.

_Did he even realize what he was doing? We came so close to blowing our cover. To losing everything we have done so far … so close to wiping out all that we have accomplished. _

The silence, as thick as dense fog in the room, finally became unbearable for Chloe. As she walked to the window in the bedroom to look out on the busy, Las Vegas strip, she said, voice deep in the waters of bitterness, "I can't believe you did that."

Clark sighed slightly in frustration, almost unable to breathe under his friend's livid presence. She stood behind him at the bright window, his back to her, but he could still feel her anger. Felt her eyes staring at him as she turned slightly in his direction, waiting patiently for an explanation she sorely deserved. Yet he offered none. And only mumbled quietly, with a genuine insistent tone, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" she asked quickly, astonished with his unwillingness to cooperate. Granted, their relationship was not nearly as strong as two years ago, but it still deserved honesty. Especially under such unexplainable circumstances. And sorry was not good enough for Chloe. Not by far. "You severely jeopardized our investigation. You risked everything we have worked for. You risked …," yet she hesitated, emotion catching in her throat. She turned back to the window and looked out, taken by the beauty of the skyline. And in a soft whisper, she muttered, "You risked Lois' life."

Clark swallowed hard, feeling the intensity of Chloe's emotions drift to him like a tidal wave shifting with the powerful winds of regret. The guilt felt like a cement block deep in his stomach. Its burden too much to bear. Though he originally believed he carried out his actions with some sense of need – a vile attempt to defend his mistake in clouded hindsight – now such reasons felt distant and petty. Under the observing, disappointed eye of Chloe Sullivan, his reasoning seemed to melt, his _need _totally insignificant, despite how strong it was at one point.

_I should have fought it … _

_Why didn't I just ignore the man?_

_Why … was this need so strong?_

"I know," he finally stated, turning his body around slightly to look at her. She turned, their eyes matched, looked into each other.

Chloe shook her head slightly. "You know I don't care what that guy thinks of me. You didn't need to do that." She then stopped for a second, hesitated as if to catch her running thoughts, before she continued, "It just doesn't make sense. Clark, I know you. You're a trained investigator. _I _taught you. You've worked for _The Ledger. _ I know it's not exactly _The Daily Planet, _but I doubt it would teach such chaotic investigative practices. Even they have some sense of responsibility."

Clark nodded in agreement, and said once again, "I know."

"And yet you break the number one rule of investigation; _don't be stupid_!" Chloe continued, her voice rising just a bit, unable to keep her anger hidden under the umbrella of understanding. _I'm trying to understand. I'm trying to find out why he risked everything we've done. I'm trying to assume he had some bizarre plan behind his madness. I'm trying … _

"I know."

Chloe huffed slightly, his answers hardly what she expected. Or what she wanted. "Well, I think you need to come up with something a bit more convincing than that. This case is extremely sensitive. And I know you know that."

Clark looked away from her, sure his eyes might give him away. "You're right, I do. But I made a stupid mistake. I got caught up in the moment. Just like you said."

Yet his weak voice hardly seemed credible, especially for a woman desperately searching for anything to hold on to. This version of the truth was just not strong enough to douse her anger. Nor her unsatisfied curiosity. "You're going to need something better than that. I know there's more going on here. Even I can tell when you're lying."

"Can you just let it go? Please?" he asked, his voice carrying an undertone of irritation.

Chloe crossed her arms and insisted, "No, I won't. I want to know why you did this."

At that, finally Clark began to feel his own anger grow. Maybe he did not want to tell her, and maybe right now was not the right time to discuss this. Maybe he would rather live through his mistake with honor, rather than rehashing it over and over again. Maybe he wanted to forget it, as well as the reason he did it. The latter almost sounded tempting, especially considering Chloe's harsh treatment of him at the moment. Yet, despite that, he also felt the need to tell her intensify in that section of his heart that has always been reserved only for her. _The same section of his heart that his need during the fight could be found … of his reasons … of the something he thought he buried for good two years ago …_

_The home of what has never left him …_

"You want to know why?" he asked, a challenge set in his tone.

_**A little less conversation, a little more action please  
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me  
**_

Chloe hardly backed away, and almost shouted, "Yes, I want to know why!"

He then stood finally from his seat on the bed, and asked one more time, "You want to know why?"

_**A little more bite and a little less bark  
A little less fight and a little more spark**_

Chloe, a little confused, reassured once again with the same bitterness, "Yes! Tell me."

"Okay," Clark agreed, an intense seriousness replacing his anger.

_**Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me**_

_**Satisfy me baby**_

Without notice or warning, he moved swiftly around the bed towards Chloe and pushed her up against the wall behind them, force laced with passion and tenderness. Her mind began to whirl a bit, a complete overload of senses and feeling. And before she could catch her breath, before she could say one word, lost to the amazing sensation of his body pressed fast against hers, he kissed her softly.

Though the moment began with intensity, the kiss started slowly, his lips testing, hesitantly tracing the soft texture of Chloe's lips. As if asking for permission, as if to reacquaint with forgotten territory. At first, her heart at war with conflicting emotions, she almost broke away, unwilling to take this any further. _I can't lead him on. I can't let him feel this way for me again. Especially when I have no idea what I'm feeling. I just … I can't allow this to continue when our emotions are so screwed up. When neither of us have any idea of what we want._

Chloe's thoughts, however, did not outweigh her need.

_**Baby close your eyes and listen to the music  
Drifting through a summer breeze  
**_

Could not outweigh what she really craved for. What she has thought of every moment she's been separated from Clark. _What she_ _needed._

And within moments, she began to respond to him.

_**It's a groovy night and I can show you how to use it  
Come along with me and put your mind at ease**_

Chloe felt his lips melt into hers, felt their bodies mold together as one. She almost forgot how well they used to fit each other. The only puzzle piece in her life that could fill the hole in heart completely. Her anger just before was now gone. And the reason to stop this soon disappeared, replaced with the true desires of her soul; lust, desire, need, and love. _Clark. The man I almost let go. The man … the love of my life._

How did she ever think she could live without him?

_**A little less conversation, a little more action please  
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me  
**_

The kiss then turned from a gentle insistence to a desperate, intense, hasty need. Clark's hands moved to her waist, pushed her tighter against the wall, pushed his body as close to hers as possible as his lips continued to dance over hers. Chloe could feel a flush of red rise to her cheeks as the heat between them rose quickly, especially when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her heart began to race slightly as he deepened the kiss, as she lost control with each passing second.

_**A little more bite and a little less bark  
A little less fight and a little more spark**_

And when Clark's sweet kisses quickly moved from Chloe's lips, traced her cheek, and traveled down to the soft skin of her neck, everything else in the world melted away completely.

_**Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me**_

Now, finally, in this minute moment of time …

Only the raw desire they tried to suppress for two years remained.

_**Satisfy me baby**_

And they had each other again.

_Yet something suddenly pulled at the edge of her heart … _

_**(fade out song …)**_

_**-----------------------------------------**_

_**Reviews welcome. More to come. **_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here is the next section. Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers! Your words continue to be encouraging and quite helpful. Thank you all for taking the time to read my story. It means so much to me. :-)**

**----------------------------------- **

**Chapter 3: Part 4:**

The pang in Chloe's heart, which began as a distant urge that could easily be forgotten in the heat of the moment, quickly became more of an inconvenience among the lust, something that needed to be ignored in the interest of fulfilling what both she and Clark have wanted for two years. _Actually, ever since we've met_, Chloe thought distantly, vaguely, her mind a cloud of desire. And though the pang strengthened in intensity, her body continued to succumb to Clark's advances, especially when his lips moved to the curve of her left shoulder, as his hands moved up from her waist to the small of her back. _With_ _evermore__insistence. More desire and lust_.

And just as quickly, Clark left her shoulder, his trail of wet kisses in his wake causing her skin to tremble. Lightheadedness and incoherency invaded Chloe's consciousness as he captured her lips passionately once again. She responded to his kisses, slipped her hands to his neck, initially content with the urgency, speed, and desire taking control of the situation. Content her ill feelings were only a dark ship that merely passed by the harbor of her heart at a random moment in time.

But that something inside, the more Clark kissed her, the more his hands roamed her body, the more she melted to him, only pushed harder. Once a dull, faint ache, it now turned into a relentless, constant pain. Despite her desires for Clark, despite the two years she spent craving his kisses, caresses, and love, and despite her innate need for everything he was and wants to be, nothing could shut out what she knew must be done. Nothing could cancel out the truth. _What should never be forgotten._

Only when she ended her quiet debate did Chloe finally realize how far Clark began to take their stolen moment of passion. And realized further how automatic it was for her to follow his lead to the unknown and desired place they both wanted to be. With unresolved, mixed emotions, Chloe suddenly felt him nuzzling her neck, caressing her skin there with soft lips. Felt her own hands threading through his hair. Felt him move them towards the bed that was now only a few feet behind her. Felt a hand reach to one of the shoulder straps of her dress.

If she was going to stop this, it had to be now. Because the point of no return started to cast its shadow upon them.

_And her will would soon break._

With her newfound and unwanted sensibility, she pushed Clark away slightly. "Clark …", she breathed, a bit flustered, his breath still warm on her skin. Chloe then cupped his face and lifted his eyes to hers, and saw lust, _for her_, burning there.

"Chloe …", he whispered in return, his face only millimeters from hers.

Chloe struggled to fight the regret that turned her stomach into knots. Struggled the intense urge in her heart to forget the past and give in. To give Clark anything he wanted, and to get everything she wanted in return.

But in a whisper, she said with difficult, but needed conviction, "Clark … we can't do this."

Clark stilled a bit with her words, though he did not release her from his arms. The only place he wanted to be right now was with her. _A need to so powerful, so lush and intoxicating. As if he could live no longer until Chloe was finally his once more. _A desperate feeling that was born the day they separated, stayed dormant throughout their two-year hiatus from each other, survived the destruction of his own anger, and now engulfed him completely when fate allowed them to meet again. Despite his outright claim two years ago, he never really wanted to leave her. So consumed by anger and pain, Clark knew those feelings drove them apart. Feelings he could not control, nor ignore or forget.

They were the same feelings that led them both to loneliness and despair for much too long. To a dark time neither would discuss with anyone, despite how much they craved for _someone_ to understand. Not just someone … but the one. _The only one who could._

And at the moment, _the one he craved_ stood in front of him, in his arms.

He wanted to forget their shaky past, and instead focus on the future. Let her be his savior – a role only she could play. _A role reserved only for her._

But when she looked into his eyes, and he looked back into hers, Clark saw the same pain from two years ago. Saw the unresolved tension that still lingered around their relationship. And knew, with unbelievable regret, that his willingness to forget was actually a hollow promise to himself. He wanted Chloe again. He wanted to be with her. Be until they resolved the issues between them, the resentment they had for each other would always be there.

_I only hope she still wants to be with me … _

"I know," Clark finally whispered.

Chloe sighed deeply before she bent his forehead to her lips, kissed it tenderly, and then broke away from his embrace. "There's still too much between us."

Clark looked away from her, and stepped back a bit. "I know," he stated quietly again, and continued further, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have …".

"No, it's okay," Chloe insisted immediately, hoping Clark did not sense how _okay _it actually was. How often she dreamt of such a stolen moment over and over again throughout the past two years. "It was just getting a little crowded with the huge elephant in the room."

Clark huffed a bit. "Right." He then turned from her slightly before he stated blatantly, with unshakable confidence in his words, "So tell me. Why did you do it?"

"What?" Chloe asked, watching as he turned back to her with eyes clouded with a hint of annoyance.

"You wanted to talk, right? So let's talk," he said, moving closer to her, his hands at his hips. "Why did you kiss Lex?" The very same question that pulled at his heart every time he thought of it. Every time he imagined the scene before him. His Chloe with Lex Luthor. In his office. In his arms. Kissing passionately.

Even now, the image made him sick to his stomach.

Chloe, however, decided to finally give him the full answer. The answer he never listened to, that he always interrupted and ignored. Admittedly, she knew she neglected to tell him everything that happened two years ago. Once he reacted with such outrage, something inside of her snapped completely. If he was not willing to give her the chance to explain, so clouded with jealousy, then why should she? Since he obviously believed she was capable of such a horrific act, why tell him anything more?

So two years ago … she left it as it was, angered that their love did not seem to be strong enough. Angry with Clark for defining their relationship so weakly, refusing to stretch their ill-fated love any further. _If this was how it would be between us … then I don't want it_, Chloe remembered saying to herself then.

_But this time … I'll make him see the truth, _Chloe vowed silently. _This time nothing will be left unsaid. I should have said it all before. I should not have let us suffer. But this time … this time, whatever happens with our love afterwards, we'll know everything._

Chloe folded her arms and stated, "It's always been that simple for you, hasn't it? Black and white? You never believed me when I said that something else happened that night."

"I don't know, it's pretty clear. You kissed him. What else is there to know? That you loved him? That you cheated on me?" Clark said angrily, as he stepped that much closer to Chloe.

But Chloe insisted strongly, "I never cheated on you." When Clark shook his head and began to look away, she reached her hands to his shoulders and forced him to look at her. Forced him to see the raw honesty in her eyes, in her features. _In her heart. _ Because only that would convince him otherwise. Rid him of the stale version of the truth that has plagued him, and her, for far too long. "Look at me, Clark."

He sighed and then let his eyes fall on her face. Gave in. A silent agreement to give her a chance to explain exactly what happened. But honestly, Clark wasn't sure he even wanted to hear it. Already this conversation brought back more than he wanted to remember. Only a way to sour him slightly to the idea of forgiving Chloe altogether. Of giving her a second chance. Despite how much he needed her.

_Can I really ignore the pain? What she did to me?_

Before he could brood further, however, Chloe said, "I went to Lex Luthor's office that night to thank him."

"Well, you certainly did that," Clark replied wryly, glancing away, only to have Chloe reach a hand to his right cheek and turn his face back to her.

Chloe said angrily, "Clark, will you stop with the side comments? Please? I need you to really listen to me this time."

Clark remained silent, but nodded.

"I went to Lex Luthor's office that night to thank him for giving me a second chance with The Daily Planet," she began, paused a bit before she continued with a hint of sarcasm to stress her point, " I didn't go to his office thinking, _'Today is a great day to hurt my boyfriend'_. Or '_I think I'll cheat on my boyfriend with Lex Luthor, because our love doesn't mean much to me'. _You know I would never do that to you."

Chloe sighed, paused to catch the running thoughts in her mind. In a way, her curiosity arose quickly once she realized exactly what she would tell Clark. Especially after what just happened between them only minutes before. Such a thought only pushed her further to tell him. Because he deserved to know.

"When I said thank you to him," Chloe began, "that didn't seem to be enough for the great Lex Luthor. Before I knew it, he kissed me. I tried to fight him off, but … I certainly wasn't going to be able to force him off of me easily. If you hadn't of come …". But she trailed off, for the first time realizing that maybe, just maybe, Clark's role that night was deeper than just the hurt boyfriend who saw something he would never forget. Maybe he did, in some way, save her that night. Because who knows how far Lex would have taken it? Against her wishes?

Instantly, Clark looked crestfallen. His forehead furrowed slightly as the seconds ticked by, seconds of complete silence as they both took in exactly what happened. And when he did not say anything, Chloe decided to add for further emphasis, "What I'm saying, Clark, is that Lex made a pass at me. He tried to take advantage of me."

Clark backed away from her then, his face a mix of emotions that Chloe could not define. "Tell me what you're thinking," she whispered, unable to press away her need for his thoughts. The silence was too much to handle right now. He needed to say something, anything.

But Clark couldn't. All that came to mind was how stupid he was the past two years. Why didn't he see this before? Why did he let this go for two years? All this time, he was sure Chloe cheated on him that night. Because it seemed blatantly clear the night he saw her with Lex. But what he confused for passion may have actually been stress and fear. The look on her face laced not with love, but with true distress. And at the moment, two different feelings surged through his veins like electricity. _Anger_ … with Lex for taking advantage of his girlfriend. A need to find him and forget all his inhibitions. Give him exactly what he deserved.

However, he also felt _shame_. Because he realized with ice-cold truth what his out of control emotions brought both he and Chloe. Two years of pain, suffering, loneliness, and despair. That all of it was actually his fault, and his alone. _If I had just listened to her … let her explain … where would we be? What did I let slip away? How much time did I waste? How many nights did I need her? Her arms around me, her kisses, her love … her strength. _

_And how often did she need me?_

All Clark wanted right now was a place to be alone with his thoughts. He could not face the love of his life right now. He could not face the mistakes he made. Not with her here, watching him. When he backed away far enough from her grasp, he said quietly, "I have to go. I can't … be here right now."

"What?" Chloe asked in disbelief, certainly the words she did not expect from him. And when she walked closer to him to pull him to her, to discover his true feelings, he evaded her. And turned away.

In seconds he sped out of the room.

And suddenly Chloe stood there alone.

------------------------------------

_**Where are those happy days  
They seem so hard to find **_

Clark walked the streets of Las Vegas slowly and in silence, quite the opposite of the crowds that hurried passed him tonight. The lights on the main strip were extravagant and luscious, a different kind of beauty than anything he has ever seen before. And on any other night, he would soak it all in, and enjoy every minute of his time here. But instead, his attention was taken completely by Chloe. By his shame. By the missed opportunities he would give anything to have back.

_**I try to reach for you  
But you have closed your mind**_

He wondered then how he could have made such a huge mistake. Especially considering how much he loved Chloe back then. Perhaps, in some respect, love was blind. A concept often able to birth a jealousy so severe as to take all rational thought from his mind. Despite how strong his love might have been. Despite the confidence he had in it throughout the short duration of its life.

Well, the life of their relationship …

_**Whatever happened to our love  
I wish I understood  
**_

The love itself seemed to keep going, carry on further.

_**It used to be so nice  
It used to be so good**_

And maybe such love never left either of them completely. _But it did hide_. Especially when he saw Chloe and Lex kiss, his love for Chloe seemed to drown itself completely in his outrageous jealousy. A love so utterly lost as to convince him it never existed in the first place. A concept so foreign at the time as to scare him away from the real truth that evaded him for two years.

**_So when you're near me  
Darling, can't you hear me, S.O.S._**

Though he initially felt his love for Chloe failed him …

He now considered the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the love was so strong that he never learned how to control it.

**_The love you gave me  
Nothing else can save me, S.O.S._**

To see through it, and apply it to everything he knew.

_**When you're gone  
How can I even try to go on**_

**_When you're gone  
Though I try, how can I carry on_**

Chloe stood quietly at the window and looked blankly out on the night sky of Las Vegas. The vision before her was amazing, yet her eyes looked passed it, through it to the something that left her speechless just a few minutes before. _Clark … why do you leave? Where are you?_

_**You seem so far away  
Though you are standing near**_

Though, she knew the truth could often be sour to taste, especially something as sensitive as what she told Clark. Yet Chloe could not help but curse herself, knowing full well that even though she did not actually _cheat_ on him, she did _lie_ to him. That maybe, perhaps, she was really the culprit all along. Maybe she was actually the one who did not have enough faith in their love. _Because what if I fought his anger two years ago? Told him the truth? How much different would our lives be? _

Why did she convince herself that Clark had no faith in their love?

_**You made me feel alive  
But something died I fear  
**_

What if he caught Clark kissing _Lana_ under the pretenses that everything in their relationship was _supposed_ to be wonderful?

Chloe remembered with a sting of her own brand of jealousy that Clark did go to Lana with the full intention of cheating. _Perhaps as an instinctive reaction to what he just saw me do … but still … could I have just looked the other way if they did go through with it? Would I have forgiven him? Listened to him above the hurt and agony I probably would have felt at the time? What kind of reaction did I expect? Maybe I should have been flattered that he was hurt that much by what he saw. Maybe …_

_**I really tried to make it out  
I wish I understood  
**_

_Maybe I should have had more faith in our love. In him. In … everything. _

With sorrowful eyes, Chloe wondered why her own faith failed her two years ago. Or perhaps, further, why she was blinded by her love.

_**What happened to our love  
It used to be so good  
**_

Clark's blind footsteps lead him to Caesar's Palace, only another variation of exquisite beauty and Italian glamour. Just ahead, a small drink bar still stood open, a temptation Clark gave into quickly. And while he automatically walked to the counter, asked for a cup of coffee, and watched the small, petite woman pour his drink, Clark's mind traveled back to the love of his life. Traveled back to everything he missed with her throughout the duration of their time apart from each other.

**_So when you're near me  
Darling, can't you hear me, S.O.S._** **_  
_**

Traveled back to the recent month of torment, when every night he would lie awake and wish Chloe would walk back into his life.

And Clark realized instantly how much he suffered. He remembered lonely moments of time, when he was soaked in his tears, soaked in pain. Pain that Chloe could have driven away completely with her love alone. He wondered then how he ever did it. _How did I ever go on with my life without her? How did I survive? _

**_The love you gave me  
Nothing else can save me, S.O.S._** **_  
_**

Even as these words slipped past his consciousness, Clark knew he never really moved on. That he continued to crave her. Continued to love her. Continued to wish that she was back in his life – as if she never left him.

_**When you're gone  
How can I even try to go on  
**_

_Because in a way … she never did. _

_And she never will._

_**When you're gone  
Though I try, how can I carry on**_

Chloe began to concentrate on the last two years without Clark. Honestly, the time had been dreadful for her. So much happened to her, so much pain and despair that often, she wondered how she ever survived it. Even now, as her eyes bored into the bright lights of the strip below her, Chloe could not help but think of him. Perhaps set him in the equation of the past few problems in her life, and ponder the difference he would have made.

**_So when you're near me  
Darling, can't you hear me, S.O.S._** **_  
_**  
When her partner died a year before, Chloe seriously doubted she would ever bounce back from such tragedy. Nights and nights she sat up, her insomniac state riddled with tears of grief. Tears that took months to dry up, and only so soon because Lana did help her through it. And though Lana was a wonderful friend, she could never replace what, _or whom_, she really wanted. Nothing could do that. Only the one she craved could save her, the one she dreamt of night after night. The arms she wished would encircle her, dry her tears, and ensure her, despite everything, all would be okay.

**_And the love you gave me  
Nothing else can save me, S.O.S._**

_All would be okay because I'm here … because I would never leave you …_

How much pain could she have saved herself if Clark would have been there?

In fact, even now … Chloe could not shake the question of how she ever survived the past two years without the love of her life.

Whatever made her believe she could go on without him?

_**When you're gone  
How can I even try to go on**_

Clark sat down on a small bench by himself, content to watch the people who walked by him. His eyes quickly landed on two people, who also sat on a bench just across the way. A man and a woman, dressed casually, but nice. Holding hands and giggling, intimate and tender. Sharing small kisses every now and then as they talked, and drank their cappuccinos. A love, seemingly so pure, that even Clark could see it, forced to smile in spite of himself.

_**When you're gone  
Though I try, how can I carry on **_

Yet his smile turned to an exhausted sigh. A look of loss and sadness.

And in his mind, Chloe was sitting next to him. Holding his hand, whispering in his ear loving endearments. Sipping her coffee, laughing … and loving him.

Only three words seemed appropriate, and he said them aloud, but in a soft whisper.

"I need you."

_**When you're gone  
How can I even try to go on  
**_

Chloe closed her eyes against the world. Imagined she was on this trip with Clark because they were in love. Because they finally found time to be together among the chaos of their schedules. Because they could not wait any longer, could not go one more second without spending the night in each other's arms. His kisses, though ghostly, felt wonderful, exciting, yet loving and tender. Her troubles melted under the shine of his care. Her tears wiped away by the warmth of his love.

Tears, now in cold reality, began to slide down her crimson cheeks.

Tears that begged for him, craved him.

_**When you're gone  
Though I try, how can I carry on**_

And nothing else seemed to describe her feelings … save three words that she uttered in the darkness of the room, of her soul.

"I need you."

--------------------

more to come ... :-)


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Here is the next section. Chapter Four, Part One. :-)**_

_**------------------------------------ **_

_**Chapter 4: Take A Chance On Me **_

The limousine slid slowly to a halt in the alleyway between two large buildings just outside of Las Vegas. The darkness of the night was unbelievably strong, despite the shine of the large, full moon above. With no sound save the soft hum of the engines of the limo and her own breathing, Lana, sitting quietly in the back of the car, quickly felt her heart begin to race. This is not where she expected them to be, but, at the same, she could not complain. When Lex immediately contacted Peterson after their meeting with Franklin, the man insisted they meet somewhere neutral, at night, and out of sight. Lex did not explain to him the reasons he needed to see him, but, regardless, Peterson still felt a need to keep their conversation low-key.

Which, certainly, heightened Lana's own suspicions as to Peterson's involvement. _Perhaps were closer than we thought._

Desperate for any useful information, Lex agreed to the terms. Whether Peterson would tell them the truth or not was a different matter. But it was a chance both she and Lex needed to take.

Next to her, Lex sighed deeply, dressed nicely in a black suit and tie. Though Lana would readily admit her anxiety, Lex seemed collected and cool. Whatever worries plagued her, they seemed to fall by the wayside when it came to Lex. _I guess he carries the rational side of the situation, and I carry the worry, _Lana reasoned quietly. Someone had to fulfill both roles in such a situation, right? Being as seasoned as Lex was in such cases as this, Lana expected _she _would carry the unbearable anxiety.

Lex finally broke the silence inside the car, and stated, "Lana, I think it will be best for you to stay here."

Lana shook her head. Despite anxiety, despite worries, and despite her own nerves, nothing would scare her away from what needed to be done. "No, I'm going with you. We've gotten this far. I need to see it through."

Lois would see it through if she were searching for Lana. This, Lana knew. Along with her own devotion and love for one of her best friends, she intended to travel the path until there wasn't one to follow. And even then … Lana was ready to make one if needed. Nothing was going to be strong enough to stop her. _Not until Lois was safe_. _The declaration I've made to myself over and over again throughout this entire journey._

"Lana," Lex began, his voice peppered with appeal, "please, just stay in the car when Peterson arrives. I would not be able to live with myself if something happened to you."

"Nothing will happen to me."

"I don't want to put you in anymore danger. There's every reason to believe that he will come armed to this meeting," Lex insisted, a bit stronger than his earlier plea.

Lana shrugged. "Maybe he will. But I'm not going to just sit this one out because it might be dangerous."

Lex sighed a little more heavily this time, and looked away from her. His determination to keep her in the car was just as strong as her own determination to be apart of the conversation he would have with Peterson. Lana wanted to be apart of all of it, no matter the risks. And it was something that she thought Lex would realize by now. Despite his role in the investigation thus far, it was still _her_ case. _Her_ original ideas. _Her_ will. And _her_ best friend.

"Fine," he finally muttered quietly. "But stay close to me."

Lana nodded and would give him that satisfaction.

So far, however, no one showed up in front of the limo. A few minutes had passed already, and nothing broke through the stillness of the night. Lana could not help but wonder if maybe they made a mistake. Or maybe this Peterson guy was just playing with them, making them think he might have something meaningful to say. And as the silence wore on a little longer, her suspicions began to blare like a foghorn in her mind. _Here we are … wasting precious time …_

But in the next instant, a man appeared from around the corner.

He stood alone, wore a nice, gray suit, and stood quietly, waiting for a response to his presence.

Lana saw him through the windshield of the limo, his figure probably thirty feet away from them. He I _seemed_/I to be alone, but as Lex warned, Peterson could have come with some kind of defense. Whether it was a gun hidden in his coat pocket, or a force of personal guards hidden behind dumpsters and on top of buildings, waiting for any false moves, caution was essential. Though Lex had his own defenses in place, it was best to avoid any confrontations as best as possible.

Lex gazed to Lana. "Ready?"

Lana nodded, and soon Lex opened the door and was gone. She took a deep breath before she opened her own door and stepped out, seeing Lex waiting patiently for her on the other side of the car. They would go into this together, and they would leave this together. When she shut the door quietly, Lana felt her mind begin to swim through the different ways this meeting might go. All she really wanted, above everything else, was information on Lois' possible location. If Peterson were involved somehow, perhaps much more than either she or Lex suspected, anything he may or may not say would help them.

Though they have been researching Boxer the entire time, Lana was sure their attention probably should shift to Peterson_. If, of course, he was the one who actually hired Boxer_, Lana reasoned. _If Lex's suspicions were right. Otherwise … we'll be running around in circles._

At that moment, Lana began to think of Clark and Chloe. As her steps instinctively followed Lex's lead around the car and towards the man ahead of them, she could not help but wonder how successful they have been. Since she has yet to hear one word from them since they parted, Lana quickly assumed they must have been just as unsuccessful as she and Lex have been thus far. Between the four of them, someone was bound to get to Lois eventually. _Dead or alive, _Lana thought morbidly. _But it's true._ _Their determination is the same as mine._

Her shoes clicked rhythmically on the hard, wet pavement below her feet. Already, just from this distance, Lana could sense Peterson's disgust with her unwanted, and unexpected presence. But it was something he would just have to deal with, whether he liked it or not. He may be comfortable with Lex, especially since they shared such important characteristics, such as business, exclusive ownership to companies, and the unorthodox methods both often used to obtain what they wanted.

But she was here to ensure both would not lose sight of what they were looking for. _Especially Lex …_

It began to drizzle slightly, the sky unable to hold in the rain much longer. Ahead, Peterson shifted only slightly, but otherwise stayed calm and waited as they approached him.

And within ten feet, just far enough away to see their faces, Peterson asked harshly, "I thought we agreed just the two of us?"

Lex smirked knowingly, and stopped about five feet in front of him. "She's an associate of mine, helping me with the subject we will be discussing. If that's okay," he insisted lightly.

Peterson hesitated, gave Lana a glance, and then nodded. "Fine. I guess it doesn't matter much." After a slight pause, he finally asked, "So, what did you want from me?"

Lex smiled simply at that, then placed his hands deep in his pant pockets. "Information."

"Something you couldn't ask on the phone?" Peterson asked quickly, with a smile of his own.

Lex looked to him and shrugged slightly. "I want to know if you hire Jason Boxer to do certain … tasks."

Peterson sighed a bit, now clearly agitated. "What does it matter? I mean …".

But Lex refused to let him finish, quickly moving on, "So you do know who he is?"

"Maybe," Peterson replied instantly, of course vaguely. He would never give out more than he needed to.

Lex then only stared at Peterson, for nearly thirty seconds, and Lana struggled to keep up with the hidden agendas both men tried to play on the other. Of course, while Lex tried to decode Peterson's involvement in Jason Boxer and Lois' disappearance, Peterson struggled to hide what he knew. _If anything … maybe he was being truthful … maybe he only knew Boxer by name, just like Franklin …_

"If I asked you about Lois Lane, would you be able to tell me anything?" Lex asked, his lack of candidness clearly surprising Lana.

Yet before she could rebuke, either with a harsh stare or a whisper, Peterson laughed and simply replied sharply, "All I know is that I read her column in the Daily Planet. I know her by name only."

Lex studied him a little more before he said quietly, "She is an excellent reporter."

Peterson shook his head before he stepped back. "Does this have anything to do with the fact that her articles have not been in the latest editions of the paper?"

"Maybe."

Peterson huffed. "Well, I can ensure you, whatever has happened to her, I had nothing to do with it."

Lex shrugged again. "Fine. But you did say you knew Boxer?"

"Yeah, so? Everyone in Vegas knows who he is. I doubt I need a lecture from the great Lex Luthor about using men like him do his dirty work," Peterson shot back, his anger rising a few notches.

Lex put his hands up slightly in mock defense. "Well, all we need is a way to find him."

Peterson sighed again, his eyes looking to Lana before moving back to Lex. And, after a short pause, he finally suggested, "He likes to go to The V Bar in the Venetian. Gets many of his contacts there."

"Thank you," Lex said, and with a nod of acknowledgement, turned and walked back towards the limo.

Lana locked eyes with Peterson in an instant before she, too, turned and walked away. Just ahead of her, Lex quickly climbed back into the limousine, and, within seconds, Lana was sitting next to him again in the quiet space. She could not hide her amazement with the speed of the short meeting, inwardly questioning Lex's questions and methods for discovering information. _So, what … we go to The Var Bar, in the hopes we find Boxer?_

And though that seemed to be the next step, Lana could not shake Peterson off of her mind.

When the limousine began to move again, the stars outside of her window sped by more quickly with each second. She thought of Boxer, of Peterson, of their possible connection in this case. Like a flash, she saw Lois' face, the need to find her strengthening with every moment she's been gone.

And she thought of Clark and Chloe … _did their investigation lead them to Peterson, too?_

Before she could debate further, however, Lex insisted quietly, but confidently, "I think Peterson is lying."

Lana, having just thought this herself, nodded in agreement. "I think he is, too." A second passed, and then she asked anxiously, "So, our next move?"

Lex looked to the window outside as they drew closer to the city, its light quickly filling the darkness of the car. And in shadows, he turned to her, his eyes dancing with excitement. "Peterson has her."

Lana smiled, willing to believe him, willing to chance it. Surprised he went in the direction she only began to travel. And though she wished it were irrevocably true, she could not push away the real chance they might both be wrong. A crossroads that could easily pull them down the wrong, yet tempting path. Both wanted this to be over, both wanted to believe the obvious.

But was it that easy? Did all of their investigation really lead them to the true source?

"How do you know?" Lana asked, finally giving into her curiosity, her need for a reason to proceed where both wanted to go.

And with a sweet smile, he said simply, "Instinct."

----------------------------

to be continued ...


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Here is Chapter Four, Part two. I hope everyone had enjoyed this so far. Thank you to everyone who has stayed with this story. **_

-------------------------------

**Chapter 4: Take A Chance On Me**

**Part 2:**

Chloe felt the air rush by her as she ran, like a harsh, brittle brush across her face and neck. Though spring in Metropolis, the temperature at night still fell close to a crisp forty degrees. Tonight would be no exception. And the faster she ran, her lungs desperate to keep up with the quickening speed of her pace, the more often she saw small, crystallized orbs of breath escape the thin line of her mouth. Above the hazy fog of her heart pounding in her chest, her feet pounding against the pavement, both in rhythm with the other, Chloe heard the faint sound of sirens.

A reminder of how desperate the situation had become.

He ran beside her, though. Step for step. His breath just as crystallized and cold as hers in the brisk night air. She insisted that he might want to stay home for this one, despite how eager he was to investigate such a conspiracy with her. A stakeout, really. More like a _"Nancy Drew"_ moment, as he often called it. In fact, he rarely let a day go by without commenting on her _nosy_ nature. Getting into trouble, deep into chasms she could hardly climb out of by herself.

Yet, she always got the story. And her stories were always praised.

So, after close to six months working with her at _The Daily Planet_, he merely rolled with it. Though she teetered on the edge many times, she rarely ever fell over.

Hopefully, for their safety, her record would stand another night.

Especially when her hands gripped her camera just a bit tighter, knowing full well what she would expose. _If I ever make it to the car … why do I always do this to myself? _

_Maybe … _Chloe mused with a small smile … _because I love every minute of it._

Next to her, her partner finally stated in heaving breaths, "You know, you'd think I'd be getting used to this."

Chloe rolled her eyes, aware he often complained whenever she dragged him on one of her numerous investigations. Though he _volunteered_ for this particular case, he obviously still believed he retained the right to grumble when something did not go their way. Or when she led them into a trap or spot that often ended just like this: running for their lives. Perhaps it was playful banter, his attempt to fight back her often-stinging sarcasm. But he also did have every right to worry when, week after week, they found themselves in such predicaments, often _because of her_.

Either way, Chloe would not let it go on for too long.

"Ah, Greg. If you get used to it, then it isn't fun anymore," she bit back.

He huffed under his ragged breath. "Fun? You call this fun?"

_Greg Casey … my partner, my friend …_

Though she did not like to admit it, Chloe could not help but feel attracted to him. Maybe, in the right circumstances – specifically when talking candidly with Lana – she would even further admit she dreamt about him. Wondered what might happen if they fell in love. But even as the thought entered her mind, she shoved it out just as quickly. _Because experiences with Clark should have taught me better._ He _was_ handsome, however. Tall, broad shouldered, dark, brown hair. _Blue eyes._

Her mind flipped back to the present, and before she could send him her own retort, their vehicle appeared before them merely twenty yards away. A beat-up, late 1990's Pontiac Grand Am used specifically for situations just like this. _I think someone is bound to notice my new silver, Mustang Convertible on the side of a dark street in one of the worst parts of the city._

The very same type of street lined with small buildings along either side, and windows dressed with storefronts of general stores, liquor stores, and bars. Behind them, a warehouse, with lights bright enough to cast a soft glow on most of the block that surrounded it. And from that warehouse came the henchmen, desperate to reach them, running frantically to catch them before she and her partner could escape.

Greg hurried to the driver's side of the car, always willing to drive when the situation called for it. Chloe did not know how, but he had a knack for driving fast and knowing exactly where to go to get out of the problem. A talent rarely seen outside of an action movie. He usually lost those who chased them in about five minutes, a super power Chloe cherished time and time again. _Though, I would love super speed right about now._

In seconds, they were both in the car, and Chloe frantically looked out her side view mirror to catch the distance of the men running towards them. The _'objects are closer than they appear' _warning mocked her, tested her patience and nerve, especially when Greg currently fumbled with the ignition. It clicked and clicked, almost like the ring of an obnoxious bell sounding the event of their untimely death. Morbid thoughts, Chloe knew, but it was all she could think of in such a drastic moment.

Yet before the best moments of her life had a chance to flash before her eyes, the ignition turned over, and the hum of the engine filled the small cabin of the car. Greg smiled and said confidently, "There we go. Now we're okay."

And Chloe was ready to believe him.

Especially when his foot pressed heavily on the gas, and the tires screeched across the pavement. _A flawless escape_.

But her momentary feeling of relief would be short lived.

Like the crack of a whip, Chloe suddenly heard something snap only millimeters from her left ear. In quick reaction, she ducked below the seat, arms above her head for initial protection. Though she wanted to stay in such a position, in the cocoon of safety she created for herself, when the car began to swerve, Chloe could not help but look up.

First directly out the windshield in front of her, images of the outside world a blur of light, shocked the car jerked to the right so suddenly.

Then instantly to Greg for an explanation as to his poor driving. _Maybe he only reacted to the sound as I did. _

Instead of questions … all she could do was shout his name.

Pretend she did not see the blood on him, or on the windshield on his side, which made it difficult for her to see outside as she dove towards the spinning steering wheel. Desperate to grab it. Desperate to get control of the car.

Desperate to steer them away from the lush grasses that now rushed by them, making the ride bumpy as the wheels struggled to fight the rocky ground below.

_Desperate to veer the car away from the direction of the tree …_

_And the last thing Chloe remembered was screaming …_

_-----------------------_

Chloe jerked upright in bed, her ears plugged with the sound of her screams. She felt the beads of her cold sweat, of her terror, across her forehead, on her face, and down her neck. As the last few images of her nightmare faded away little by little, as her throat turned to sobs, her world gradually came into focus before her teary eyes. The darkness of the hotel room surrounded her, save the glittery images of Las Vegas just outside the master bedroom window.

And though at first she believed herself to be alone, the sound of her name across the stuffy, warm air of the room soon drifted into her consciousness.

A whisper, really, that brushed across the soft surface of her ear.

Only then did Chloe realize Clark was holding her in his arms.

"Chloe?" he asked again, unable to hide his deep concern.

When he returned from Caesar's Palace a few hours before, Clark and Chloe, still inhibited by the awkwardness of their last few minutes together, agreed to catch an hour or so of sleep before they continued with the investigation. Riddled with exhaustion, Clark quickly shed his clothes and changed only into pajama bottoms, sure he would fall asleep immediately, despite the fact he would be forced to use the very small couch in the living room area. Yet, worries laced his thoughts, prevented him from grabbing the extra sleep he would need for what was sure to come. Disgusted, he moved to Chloe's laptop and decided to do some research on the name she received at _The V Bar_ not too long ago.

An hour later, however, he heard Chloe's screams coming from the bedroom

Instantly, he sped to her, sure she was in some type of danger. Instead, all he found was Chloe sitting up in bed, screaming at the top of her lungs. Desperate to quiet her, to comfort her, he gave into what he wanted to do. What she would truly need.

So he sat down next to her, and pulled her into his protective embrace.

And now … he could still feel her sobs against his chest.

"Chloe?"

Finally, Chloe reacted to him, to the here and now, her demons finally driven away, at least for the moment, by what she did not expect: Clark's love. She lifted her head from his bare shoulder, immediately ashamed with her outburst. Aware Clark had just seen a part of her she has hidden well since her partner's horrible death. And quickly she went to wipe her eyes, determined that he should not see her tears any longer. Desperate to hide her pain, to make up for the momentary display of weakness.

Yet Clark beat her to it. Reached both hands to her now rosy cheeks, and carefully wiped away the glistening trail of her tears. His eyes looked deep into hers, searching, waiting for an answer, an explanation.

But Chloe was not sure she could give him one.

Not now. Not yet.

Instead, she merely whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" he asked, confused.

Chloe sighed, reached her hands to wrap around his wrists, his strong hands now cupping her face. "I didn't mean …".

But he cut her off quietly, yet strongly. "Chloe, you don't have to apologize."

She struggled to protest, to find her voice that was now caught in her constricted throat. Yet Clark would not let her speak. And with a small kiss to her forehead, then another soft, promising kiss on her lips, he whispered, "I'm here for whatever you need."

Clark let his arms fall from her face, and loosely wrapped them around her waist. Then leaned his forehead to rest gently against hers.

When Chloe closed her eyes, let her hands rest on his chest, she felt something familiar, yet new and exciting. Through the warmth he offered to her, through the love he now blanketed her with, she heard and felt their heart beats. Felt them merge, for the first time in two years. Felt them beat together _as one_.

The enormous weight of so long ago … the break-up, the two years apart, even the previous few days …washed away to the new surface underneath. Like ocean waves pulling sand from the shore.

_Revealing new life._

Chloe realized the time they spent separated from each other might have served a much higher purpose than she originally suspected. It gave them a chance to dampen the anger, see the truth. To see each other again, behind the wall of painEven tonight, when they went their separate ways, both were given the chance to rethink their lives, rethink the path they have taken without each other. All of it meant something, all of it helped both of them remember why they fell in love in the first place. What always brought them back to each other, in need of something pure and wonderful. In need of comfort and understanding, a brand only Clark could give her. _A brand only she could give to Clark._

And all she wanted to do now was sit here with him. Revel in him. Feel him again. Make his own pain go away, a pain she felt now, that he revealed to her, that she sensed in him. And give him that chance to do the same for her.

But Lois pulled at her heart, as well. Once she was safe, then … well, then Clark and Chloe could come back to this place. Could search it together, and discover what awaited them.

With a regretful sigh, Chloe whispered, "Lois … Lois needs us."

Clark nodded. "I know."

With a soft smile, Chloe kissed him softly, let her lips linger, and then said gently, "Thank you."

Clark smiled and pulled her a little closer to him. "I'm just glad you're okay."

After a moment of silence, a moment they spent staring into each other's eyes, Chloe smirked, and remarked playfully, "I don't think this is helping us find Lois any faster."

"Yeah," he whispered simply in return.

Chloe then thought of the name that was written on the small piece of paper given to her at _The V Bar_. _It would be_ _the next step in our ever-evolving case, and the possible link to Lois' location. _ Such thoughts instantly refueled her desperate need to get to Lois as quickly as possible. She pushed away everything that has happened with Clark in the past few days, knowing it would only be a distraction, a hindrance to what needed to be done.

With a hint of regret, Chloe finally pulled away from him, sighed, and stood from the bed. "We have to research that name," she said, her eyes still staring at him.

With a sweet smile, however, Clark replied, "I've already done it."

"You what?" Chloe asked, unable to hide the surprise that stretched at the edge of her features.

He stood and walked to her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep. So … I thought I should be somewhat productive."

Chloe felt the rush of excitement rise to her cheeks, and asked quickly, "You know where he lives?"

"Yeah, I do."

_Lois, _Chloe thought, _please hold on … just a little longer._

_We're coming …_

_------------------------------- _

_**To be continued …**_


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Next section! Chapter 4, Part 3. Thanks everyone for your reviews and support.

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_**Chapter 4: Take A Chance On Me**_

_**Part 3:**_

The late evening once again took sleep away from both Lex and Lana. _I'm sure we've done this before, _Lana thought sourly, aware that just twenty four hours ago, they were sitting in Lex' office back in Metropolis, gazing endlessly at security camera videos. It was a dreadful task that took them deep into the wee hours of the morning. Yet this time, instead of black and white images across a screen, Lana's eyes bore into blueprints and pictures of a dozen or more buildings. According to Lex's instincts, Peterson was sure to have Lois. A bold conclusion that only he could make, and one Lana did not mind putting faith in. _Because he has been right in the past._

The main problem still remained, however. _Where was she?_

Honestly, Lois could be anywhere, in any part of the country or the world. _If _Peterson took her, however, the search could be downplayed to a certain few hotspots, and Las Vegas was one of them. Odds were, and odds were what to play in Vegas, Lois _should_ be located somewhere in this city. That is, _if_ Boxer was indeed working for Peterson, and _if_ he kidnapped her and brought her here as the evidence suggested. But, as Lex warned, once Boxer dropped her here, it would be anyone's guess as to where she might have been taken from there.

The latter was a scenario they chose not to pursue, however. Especially as precious time began to tick away. _Each second taking away a chance she might still be alive …_

At the moment, Lana would have to depend on their evidence, and on the direction their investigation has taken them. Something that was not easy to do, knowing full well if they were wrong, grave ramifications would follow.

_I only hope Clark and Chloe have gotten further …_

Though she was originally upset with Chloe because she did not involve her in the investigation, Lana did understand why her friend was so hesitant. Considering the past, Chloe's reservations were expected. And, at the moment, if she felt more comfortable with Clark, mainly because of their success as a partnership, then that was okay. Their involvement, though difficult for them personally, was a real asset to the investigation as a whole, and certainly something worth much more than Lana's hurt feelings. _Especially when I was never really angry with her - only worried for Lois._

Lana sighed deeply now. The soft glow from the lamp on the table next to her seemed to spread a feeling of warmth across the entire living room, a peace she has craved since their search for Lois began. Lex's suite, located in the Venetian, was breathtaking, to say the least. Larger than any other room in the resort, not to mention the numerous rooms, the luxurious, crafted furniture and fixtures, as well as the balcony, Lex certainly chose the best. And though Lana is used to his glamour and riches, sitting in this unbelievable hotel room caught her in awe. An admiration she did not expect. _Maybe it's because he's done so much thus far …_

Yet what Lex did two years ago – the pain he caused, the happiness he took away so recklessly – quickly reminded her of the numerous reasons she had to be angry with him. His accomplishments in this case, though appreciated, still did not outweigh the heartless act he committed towards two of her best friends.

At least … not yet. Lana was sure her opinion might change the second she saw Lois alive again. _Maybe … maybe he agreed to do this to make up for what he did. Maybe … he isn't as bad as all of us think._

"Anything?" Lex asked, his voice a break in the silence.

Lana sighed again, unable to hold in her frustration any longer. _That's all I've been … frustrated. Why does everything in this case have to be so difficult? How does Chloe ever do this, day in and day out?_

"Nothing yet," she whispered, forcing her eyes to focus on the mixture of drawings and images on the blueprints in front of her. Blueprints of every building Peterson owned lay on the desk in front of Lana and Lex, a pile of work initially intimidating. With two hours already gone by, the task felt just as helpless and impossible. And Lana continued to battle with the idea that their time could be best spent somewhere, doing something else to help Lois.

Lex seemed to feel the same way.

"Maybe the answer isn't right in front of us," Lex admitted sourly, as he gazed casually up at Lana. "Knowing Peterson has Lois is good, but not great. He owns too much, and it would take us months to look through every building he has."

The facts Lex decided to share quickly dropped like a weight in Lana's stomach. Because he was right. Peterson could have hidden Lois anywhere. And suddenly, their investigation came to a crossroads. Do they concentrate on his Las Vegas property, and search that thoroughly, giving in to what they thought they saw on a security camera? Or would it be time wasted?

If time were not such an issue, such decisions would not hold so much weight.

"I think we should stay on Vegas," Lana declared, rather confidently. Because what they saw in the security cameras … despite where Lois could have been taken, should mean something. Especially when Boxer, apparently, has not left Vegas since he arrived. _According to Lex's spies, anyhow._

Lex nodded. "Okay. Since the blueprints have given us nothing definitive, I guess all we can do now … is look."

"It's going to take awhile," Lana reminded.

"I know," he added quickly, "but it's all we can do now. We've traced her this far, and considering our lack of hard evidence, that's investigating even Lois Lane herself would be proud of."

Lana grimaced. "Maybe."

She then turned back to the blueprints on the table in front of her. If they were going to search Las Vegas, then they should have a pretty good idea of the area they would be looking through. And though they stared at these blueprints quite a bit already, Lana wanted to look again. To ensure that there was nothing that should be highlighted above the rest… or, perhaps, a spot that called to them. Somewhere, _anywhere_, they should look first, for any plausible reason that might surface. "I just want to look one more time, though. Because you were right … if Peterson hid her here, there must be a spot somewhere on his property that he would be more likely to hide her, right?"

Lex sighed, clearly a little aggravated. "The sooner we get moving, the faster we'll find her."

"But you already admitted searching for a person in this city is like looking for a needle in a stack of needles," Lana pointed out quickly, her voice rising in defense.

"Well, I guess I want to start digging," Lex shot back. However, he quickly caught himself, aware of his rising emotions. And after a second spent to calm himself, he explained candidly, "You know very well, especially since there has been no sign of a trade or ransom for Lois, that Peterson has probably already disposed of her. That the longer we sit here, the more time she has to die."

But Lana quickly interjected, her anger dripping from her voice, "Don't you think I know that, Lex? I guess what I want, before we go gallivanting around Vegas, is a plan. Something to guide our search."

"I don't think that something exists," Lex said regretfully, his anger kept at bay by his understanding. _I know why Lana is angry … I know why she's upset … but she may have to accept the fact that we may be, in the next few days, attending Lois' funeral. _A dismal thought, but a truthful one.

_A realistic one._

But Lana replied coolly, "I disagree." Though she originally thought looking at blueprints might be a waste of time, she was now driven, fueled, by the new acceptance that Lois was here, in Vegas. And she was waiting to be saved. Forget where she could be, or who might have actually taken her … or even if she was still alive. They were only possibilities, a false reality rooted in the questions they've had throughout the investigation.

But instinct brought them this far … both hers and Lex's.

And Lana would follow it through.

She looked away from him then, and gazed back down at the dreadful blueprints, certain the answer was floating in front of their eyes.

Lex, after a second, finally admitted in a soft whisper, "I just don't want to waste any more time."

Lana countered, but with a reassuring smile, "I know." Because she knew his passion for this case was the same as hers.

Lex finally gave in, aware that Lana's point was a valid one. Well, _both_ had a point, really. He did not want to waste any more precious time on something that gave them nothing in return, whereas she did not want to search without having some idea of what they might be looking for. Both of them, in their own way, were trying to save time. Frankly, Lex still could not shake the belief that Lois was probably dead by now anyway. That Lana's attempts were probably ill fated, and, sooner or later, she would be disappointed.

In that case, Lex planned to be there. To help pick up the pieces.

However, in the meantime, he would pick up one of those blueprints and study it intently. Because despite their failure over the past two hours, Lex still believed the blueprints could tell them something rather valuable. _If they had the time to study them thoroughly, that is._ And over the next half hour or so, they continued to look at blueprints under the soft glow of that table lamp alone, along with the lights of Las Vegas as their background just outside the long window that lined the entire length of the wall.

And they did so in complete silence.

When the first few minutes of that time came and went, Lana felt her will begin to shake. _Maybe I did make a mistake. Maybe Lex is right. Looking at blueprints and pictures of the buildings will only help so much. If this guy is a professional, then he will hide Lois in the best place possible. Some place neither of us would think of. _And before too long, though she continued to hope, Lana knew she might have made a mistake.

Then her eyes fell on a set of blueprints she did not remember seeing before.

"Did you look at these?" Lana asked, her curiosity heightened with the drawings before her.

Lex leaned over slightly to catch a glimpse. "Which building is it?"

"Lyman Trucking," Lana recited from the blueprints in front of her.

Lex seemed to pause for a second, as if trying to remember where the building was and what it meant to Peterson. And after thirty seconds or so, he finally explained, "That's a small business he bought a few years back. It's a building on the very outskirts of Las Vegas."

When Lana did not respond to him, her eyes glued to the pictures before her, he finally asked, "Why? Did you catch something?"

Lana nodded, though slightly unsure. "Maybe. The first set of blueprints of the building indicates there's a staircase that leads to a floor below the ground level. Almost thirty feet, I would say. If not more." She then flipped to another set. "But this later set says the staircase and the level are gone."

Lex shrugged, and insisted, "Well, that's not too strange. Buildings change all the time."

"But why would it have a level below ground in the first place?" Lana asked, her stare turning from the blueprints to Lex.

"The military has done tests in the desert, especially around World War II. And there's still bases," Lex explained, though he knew his answer could be far fetched. The stories he told were true, but that was only his best hypothesis. Yet he continued, and insisted, "Perhaps it was a bomb-shelter of sorts." Actually, there would be a number of reasons for someone to build a structure like this, and not all of them were legal. A scenario he knew all too well.

But the fact remained … the level could still be there.

And if Peterson owned the building …

"What if these later blueprints are wrong? What if that lower level is still there?" Lana asked, her heart beginning to race with what this might mean. With what this finding could promise them.

And though Lex clearly did not like to admit when he was wrong, he acknowledged with a smirk, "Then Lois has been underneath our noses the entire time."

In seconds, Lex and Lana were gone.

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end of section


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 4: Take A Chance On Me**_

_**Part 4:**_

It didn't take long for Chloe and Clark to arrive at the house of Timothy Hudson, the name on the small piece of paper. This house, in comparison to George Layton's grungy house in Metropolis, was much more luxurious. _Practically a mansion_, Clark observed, instantly a bit intimidated by its sheer size. As he gazed up, all he could see were huge, rectangular windows lined with blue shudders. The white siding added a soft touch to the overall feel of the house, allowing it to slip into the category of upper class, suburban accommodations.

But the house was dipped in the darkness of nighttime sleep.

_Is this right? _Clark asked himself, clearly confused. _Shouldn't this guy be residing in the black hole of Las Vegas? If he really participated in the many, illegal things we think he may have done …_

"This is the address you took off the Internet?" Chloe asked in a whisper.

Clark, walking just a little behind her as they took the steps up to the front door, answered, "Yeah, I think so."

They were on the outskirts of Las Vegas, in the varying spots with houses just like this all around. The sections people rarely saw on the Travel Channel or in brochures. But they did exist, just like in any other major city in the United States. And though Clark would have believed normal life happened every day to the citizens of Las Vegas, the fact that this man, supposedly known for truly underhanded and illegal crimes, was living such a promising life quickly became hard to swallow.

Chloe looked anxiously at her watch. "It's so late. I hope he doesn't confuse us for robbers or anything."

Clark sighed with the same ounce of anxiety. Then knocked on the door.

There was no answer, of course. But after another second, he rapped on the door again. This time, much louder.

Clark debated if he should ring the doorbell, aware that would practically announce their arrival on such a dismal night. As Chloe feared, Hudson might consider them robbers, or merely criminals looking to cause mischief. Not to mention both Chloe and himself, though they were in their mid-twenties now, did look like kids. And anyone would refuse to answer the door under such conditions.

However, time was critical. And Lois was waiting.

But when he reached for the doorbell, the porch lights suddenly lit above them. And the door ahead opened.

"Yes?" asked the man irritably. Clark guessed he was in his late thirties, with black hair peppered white just above his ears. He wore glasses, as well, though his eyes squinted behind them. Eyes clearly carrying exhaustion and hardly any tolerance. Hudson had every right to be a bit crisp and tight with them, considering the inconvenient time of night.

"Hi," Chloe replied, her wide smile trying hard to break the immediate tension, "My name is Chloe Sullivan, and this is Clark Kent. Reporters for The Daily Planet." She then paused. "Are you Timothy Hudson?"

Hudson straightened a bit. "I am. Why?"

"We just need to talk to you, sir. It'll only take a minute," Clark reassured, with an encouraging, small smile.

"I really don't want to talk to any reporters tonight," he said.

But when he tried to close the door on them, Chloe refused to let their investigation end here. She would not rest until she was looking into Lois' eyes, and saw safety residing there. Only then would the weight be lifted.

And with force, she stepped up and held the door open, just enough for Hudson to still see both of them through a small crack. But it would be enough.

"Please. There is no way we would be out here, traveling the incredibly _safe_ streets of Vegas, if not for a good reason," Chloe pressed. The urgency and need in her voice both convincing and strong.

Hudson bowed his head slightly, before his eyes turned to her. The tension melted a bit, and in its place was a hint of compassion. A welcome light on the otherwise pitch, black path they've been traveling since Metropolis.

He then nodded, letting the door open a bit further. "Okay, but be quiet. My family's still asleep."

_Family? _Clark asked himself. The puzzle of Timothy Hudson continued to unravel, or, perhaps, become more complicated by the second. Either way, Clark's interested piqued ten fold. And something pulled at his gut, something tangible, something instinctual. Something that told him the visit would be worth it.

When they stepped into the foyer, twice the size of Clark's kitchen on the farm, he immediately felt his previous intimidation refuel at the bottom of his stomach. Despite his instincts, nothing could displace his fear that Hudson would be totally uncooperative. And that, through everything, their difficult and exhausting investigation actually led to an impenetrable dead end. _Not totally impenetrable, _he reminded himself. _If I can break through walls, I can clearly break through this._

Impeccably decorated, the interior of the house matched that of the exterior in exquisite detail and beauty. Hudson, though Clark did not notice, led him and Chloe to the immediate sitting room on the right, which housed a grand piano, a fireplace, and chairs often seen on display on tours through old-time mansions of long ago. _Can we sit in these?_ Clark asked, a little amusement crossing his lips.

"This is a wonderful home," Chloe commented in a slight whisper, stating Clark's thoughts.

Hudson nodded as he sat in a comfy, plush, red chair adjacent to a coffee table in the middle of the room. "Thank you. We enjoy it."

Clark studied various objects interspersed throughout the room with his X-ray and magnifying vision. He wasn't exactly sure what to look for, but knew anything obviously suspicious would be a place to start. And though pictures would not help them much, he could not help but stop to gaze at one on the mantle of the fireplace across from the couch Hudson offered them to sit on. A picture, specifically, of his family – him, probably his wife, and two young children.

Without warning, previous conversations with his parents back in high school, and even recently just after college, flooded back to his mind like a tidal wave. Clark often considered the real possibility that he may never be able to have children. Of course, he could adopt. That was always an option. But, despite the joys of such a decision, it would not be the same. No matter how many times he tried to convince himself otherwise.

Yet he was adopted. And his parents loved him as if he was their own son, and they always told him that over and over again.

Clark glanced to Chloe then, curious as to her thoughts on the subject. She never spoke of it with him before, despite their two-week relationship nearly two years ago. And he wondered how important it might be to her. Would she need to have her own children? Or would she be content just to love her husband?

Did he ever have the right to ask someone to give up something like that?

It was the same question he has lived with for quite some time, especially when his feelings for Chloe resurfaced during college. And now, the question seemed to settle uncomfortably in his soul, acting only as a reminder of its need to be addressed.

"Did you work for James Peterson?" Chloe asked beside him, the voice that caused his thoughts to crumble under the weight of the here and now.

Hudson paused for a second, his expressions drawn a bit as he considered his answer. And what Clark noticed, finally, was how often people in this investigation wanted to _deny _their affiliation with Peterson. Which only interested him all the more.

"Yeah," he finally answered.

Chloe nodded. "What did you do for him?"

Hudson shrugged slightly, and leaned back a little in his chair. "Things I'm not proud of."

"What things?"

Clark quietly cringed at Chloe's question, a little worried with Hudson's reaction to the prying they were doing in his life. Already, just from the tension in the man's face alone, Clark could tell the subject was an uncomfortable one. And though the investigation needed to progress at a quick pace, it also could not afford to be halted completely by an inappropriate question. Honestly, he would not be surprised if Chloe's nosy nature might have gone too far, too soon in this particular situation.

Yet Hudson merely sighed, glanced away from them, and then admitted, "Whatever he told me to do, I did it. I didn't want to most of the time. But it was money, a job."

"Can we include _illegal _in your definition?" Chloe asked candidly, though with clear, genuine interest above any hostility.

Hudson then stood and walked towards the fireplace, settling a hand on the mantle. His eyes fell on the picture of his children. "Probably. But I left it," he replied, then turning back around to face them. "I just couldn't do it anymore. So I got myself a respectable job, married, and started a family. The life I couldn't get from what I was doing before. Something I never want to go back to."

Clark chimed in quickly, "Mr. Hudson, we're not here to accuse you of anything. And we're not here to expose you. We just need information."

"My cousin," Chloe began, with only the slightest crack in her voice, "was kidnapped almost a week ago now. We've been looking for her ever since. Our investigation led us to Peterson - who, surprisingly, seems to have some interest in performing criminal acts."

"Time is running out, and knowing Peterson is involved isn't getting us close enough," Clark added.

Chloe leaned forward slightly, and settled her elbows on her knees, with her hands folded just a little out in front of her. Exhaustion hardly described her features, and Clark knew the minute they found Lois, Chloe would crash for days. They've been chasing after Lois for two days straight, with hardly any sleep in the middle. The journey far more extreme than either expected. An experience that tested their endurance, stretched their capabilities, and almost shattered their already fragile friendship.

"We need you to give us some idea of where to start looking," Chloe explained.

"You really think I would know?"

Clark sighed softly; aware he was dodging them a little. "Well, if you were involved in that half of Peterson's business, then … yes, we think you can help us." After a second of silence, he added quickly, "There has to be some place that he used more than the rest. A place he would most likely take someone he just kidnapped."

Hudson seemed to let his wall of protection fall slightly. Especially when his eyes fell on Chloe, who seemed clearly distraught by the entire situation. And when he moved back to his chair, scratching his head absently, he commented heavily, "So much of his business has changed now. I'm sure it's not the same."

"There has to be something you can give us," Chloe pushed.

Hudson rubbed his chin and sat down, and Clark could see the wheels spinning quickly inside his head. When he did not say anything at first, the tension built slightly inside the huge room. Because all three knew the important of anything he could offer. Just anything, some clue to keep the trail going and alive. Not that their entire investigation should rest solely on this interview alone, but Lois' time was running out. And any misuse of that precious time would certainly come back to haunt them.

And just as Clark was about to suggest another angle, Hudson offered quietly, "He did buy a new building. An entirely new business, actually."

"A new business in Vegas?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, Lyman Trucking Company or something. The building itself is an old warehouse, really, on the outskirts of the city limits, a bit south of here." Hudson explained.

But Chloe, of all people, played the skeptic and asked rightfully, "What makes you think he would use that building?"

Hudson smiled. "Because he hated being so 'out in the open', as he stated it. The building he bought has a some kind of … cellar or something quite a few feet below the surface."

Clark nodded, biting back the smile that tried desperately to creep over his lips. The _something_ that tugged on him when they first arrived here was finally revealed, and he could not help but believe the end of the tunnel they've been searching for lay below the surface of the earth. And then abruptly, he felt Chloe stand up, and he did so quickly to follow her lead.

"Thank you for your time," Chloe said, the first, genuine smile gracing her beautiful face.

Hudson stood and extended his hand to her. "I'm glad I could help."

In seconds they were escorted to the door, exchanging pleasantries above the surface of the mostly awkward last few minutes.

And when the door to the huge house finally closed behind them, Clark felt Chloe tug him away urgently.

"We need to go now," she whispered, as their footsteps reached the neighborhood sidewalk.

"I agree."

Chloe looked to him suggestively, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Then let's go."

"Well, our car is …," Clark began, but could not finish his thought when he felt Chloe suddenly pull him close.

"No," Chloe urged. "I mean, let's go. You know … run to it. Fly to it. Whatever form of transportation you think is the fastest."

Clark felt blood rush to his cheeks. "But what if someone sees me? Sees us?"

"It's dark out. Plus, everyone is gambling this time of night," Chloe commented lightly, with a small smile.

Clark smirked. "I thought you didn't like to fly with me?"

"I trust you."

And in her eyes, Clark knew she meant it.

_For the first time in two years._

Without another second of hesitancy, Clark picked her up effortlessly in his arms, and shot like a bullet through the midnight air.

On the other side, Clark was sure; Lois would be waiting for them.

--------------------------

to be continued ...


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Okay, the sections from here on out are all apart of Chapter 4, and officially labeled as 'Section 5'. I have it all finished, so I'm going to try and post everything that's left. Thank you all so much for reading this story and reviewing it. I hope the end is worth it:-)**_

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Lana couldn't believe they were standing outside of the warehouse already. Since it was on the outskirts of the city, from The Venetian, it should have taken them at least twenty minutes, due to both traffic and distance. But Lex's limousine driver, aware of the crunch on time and the life that hung on every wasted moment, broke a few of the Nevada driving laws and reached the warehouse in only ten minutes. And for the first time since this investigation began, Lana finally felt close to Lois.

_A small amount of good fortune, and I quickly believe we've reached the end … I should not be so naïve, _Lana reasoned dimly. Because though things seemed to fall in line, and evidence seemed to show up at the right time, they were now, suddenly, standing at the precipice of a miracle, and it was, in its strict definition, based solely on assumptions. One instinct, one feeling built on the next and the next. And Lana knew very well what would happen if they didn't find Lois in the building before them.

In fact, they would not be able to deny their mistakes.

Hidden next to her behind a building about forty feet from the front of the warehouse, Lex sighed deeply, his eyes locked in deep concentration. Just as she, he searched frantically for a way into the building itself. From this angle, however, it was difficult to see any good way to break in. They could try to break through the two large garage doors directly in front, but that seemed unlikely, and would only take more time than they were willing to give. And the last thing they wanted to do was announce their presence to whoever might be inside.

Despite the time of night, they needed to be ready for the very likely scenario that someone would see them during their excursion.

At the moment, Lana felt caught up in the silence that surrounded them. The street they were on felt especially dark and rundown, a section of Las Vegas that was a far cry from the glamour of the strip. Luckily for them, the warehouse was located in and amongst, actually, nothing of importance. Except for a few abandoned buildings, the area was permeated by lots of land overgrown with grass, or broken up blacktop. Because of its vacancy, there were not a lot of obstacles to pass through to reach their destination.

However, the area was still scary, perhaps even taken out of a horror film. And Lana knew, if Lex was not with her, fear might freeze her so much as to prevent her from pursuing her intentions of going into the warehouse to search for Lois. Despite how strong she claimed to be on many occasions, fear tended to course through her veins more frequently than she was willing to admit. From dangerous situations to relationships, Lana could not help but wonder what she let slip through her fingers because of fear.

_Clark … maybe partly because of my fear … left me. The life we could have had … _

_Yet, he's happy with Chloe. Chloe … makes him shine. And that's something I can't deny. _

_Lex, on the other hand … seems to see the fear in me, and encourages me to keep going. Something I didn't expect. Something I have seen more and more throughout the investigation. _

"There," Lex whispered, pointing just to the left of the two, huge garage doors of the warehouse.

Lana couldn't see what object heightened his curiosity, yet she knew it must be something. Before she could ask, however, he quickly bolted out into the small street that separated their building from the warehouse across the way. The streetlights illuminated enough of the dingy street that Lana made it a point to avoid them completely as she crossed the distance of forty feet.

Once he reached the warehouse, Lex ran parallel to its left wall for about another thirty feet. At that point, he stopped and turned to see if Lana stayed close. And he smiled when he saw her approach just a minute or so after him. "A door," he informed further, his breath still a bit ragged from his run.

Lana moved around him and saw the door he referred to just five feet away. "How did you see that from where we were?" He would have to have X-ray vision for such a catch.

Yet he merely smiled and shrugged sheepishly. "I guessed."

However, when Lana went to open it, of course, it was locked quite tight. She sighed and looked to him. "Any ideas?"

Lex's smile broadened as he walked up to the door and pulled a small pick from his pocket.

Lana shook her head. "Did the millionaire turn into a top notch spy when I wasn't looking?"

"I've always been interested in gathering intelligence," he joked lightly, then insisted in the next breath, "Go to the corner and cover me."

Because obviously, they didn't want anyone to see what they were about to do.

Lana nodded and moved quickly down to the corner that faced the street. She peered out for a second, trying desperately to adjust her eyes to the shadows that danced between the glow of the streetlight and the darkness that surrounded it. Smudged and undefined.

But she saw nothing of suspicion.

"Okay," Lex whispered loudly in her direction.

Lana turned just in time to see him standing proudly in the doorway. "How did you do that so quickly?"

Lex shrugged again and merely watched as she came up next to him. He gestured for her to enter first, and Lana didn't hesitate in the least. With what she's been through, despite her earlier admission of frequent fear in dangerous situations, Lana could not wait to find Lois. If that meant stepping into the unknown, then maybe, for the first time, Lana would find her courage. Sure, Lex was with her as they walked into the warehouse, which was basked mostly in darkness save for the light from the street that fought through the windows. But if she needed to feed on his confidence to push her own courage, then so be it.

What was the belief? When faced with something dangerous, a person either fights or flies away from the situation?

Tonight, Lana intended to fight.

The immediate space before them was obviously the actual garage area, and it housed about three trucks with the word "Lyman" painted on the side. Lana looked up to see another level above them, and she quickly remembered it from the blueprints. But going up the building was not the key. They needed to go down, and down meant steps. _Steps that would lead them directly to Lois._

"Let's spread out a little," Lex whispered next to her, and Lana nodded in agreement.

Lex moved closer to the trucks and began to circle around towards the front. Lana chose the back, and moved quickly to a door that seemed to lead to a small office space. Through a small window in the wall that separated the room from the garage area, she saw computers, file cabinets, and two desks that supported her theory. Just around the corner of that door and behind that office, however, the space opened up into another large garage area. Again, three trucks were lined at the back, but that was not what arose Lana's curiosity.

What interested her the most was the small door to the left and just behind the back wall of the office. It was hidden well beneath the dark shadows of the room, but the dusk till dawn light that hung on the outside back wall of the building illuminated its upper right corner. And for a moment, Lana was instantly perplexed by it. Maybe the darkness smudged the lines of normal definition, and maybe her eyes had not yet adjusted completely as they moved between the two extremes within the spectrum of light.

And maybe her exhaustion started to take most of her rational thought away.

But as the seconds passed, she noticed that the door seemed to separate the rest of the warehouse from a very small room. _A very, very small room._

Though that seemed odd at first, Lana shrugged the feeling aside quickly and opened the door.

_Opened the door to reveal stairs … stairs that led further down than she could see._

"Lex!" Lana shouted, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She didn't care who heard her now. None of that mattered.

Lex came running quickly to her side, only to immediately halt the second his eyes fell on the stairs before them.

"You found them."

Lana nodded and started to step through the doorway before Lex stopped her with a hand to her upper arm.

She turned to him with question, and he insisted, "Wait."

He ran around the corner for a minute and soon reappeared with a flashlight in his hand. Lex then smiled and gestured for her to go.

_Good forethought, _Lana reasoned. _I think we're going to need a flashlight._

And within moments, they were descending the stairs.

At first, Lana felt the stairs might go on forever. _Because it certainly felt like it._ Just as they approached a landing that might lead to the floor they were looking for, another set of stairs appeared just to their right. And the next, just to the left. After the first few flights of ten steps or so, Lana began to worry that the lower level might have been taken out completely. That the later blueprints were right. And they were, essentially, climbing down to a dead end.

But the next landing ahead showed no other stairs.

And Lana knew they had finally reached the bottom.

"I wish there were lights somewhere," she muttered quietly.

Lex shined the small flashlight out in front of them, which revealed only a few feet of hallway space. What they were walking to, neither knew.

"Me, too," he agreed, now seemingly a bit tense with their apparent handicap.

As they walked, Lana allowed her fingertips to graze lightly against the wall next to her. Not just as a way to keep her balance in the blinding darkness, but also as a tool to guide them.

For a while the wall seemed a constant, ensuring them they were heading in the only direction available.

Until, of course, the wall stopped.

And suddenly Lana realized they had stepped through a doorway.

"Where are we?" she whispered, asking the obvious.

Then her fingers grazed across a light switch. _A light? Or, better yet, the switch to the bomb that awaited us?_ Lana joked darkly to herself. _Yeah, right. I would not be surprised._

With a sigh, she flipped the switch.

And was awarded with light.

"Wow," was all she could breath through her gapping mouth.

Ahead of them was an enormous, open space. A huge room, really. The floor was concrete, and the walls exposed rotting brick in some spots and strong, newly placed steel in others. The room, however, had three, separate doorways that opened up into hallways that extended further into the dark depths of the floor. So initially intricate in design, Lana quickly thought of the word _maze._

And maze was what they would get.

"Which way?" Lana asked hesitantly. _Another decision. Another instinct._

Lex shrugged. "I don't know. Left?"

"Why the left hallway?"

"It doesn't matter, really," Lex reasoned, "because, whichever way we go first, we'll end up searching through the entire floor anyway. Maze or not, we need to search it all."

Lana nodded. "Okay, left."

And down the left hallway they went.

-----------------

It took Clark only thirty seconds to reach the warehouse, and only that long because he wasn't exactly sure of its location. He decided to fly through the air rather than run on the ground, certain no one would see them so high up in the sky. Though he was used to such heights, Chloe was not. And by the time they reached their destination, her arms were like a vise around Clark's neck. She trusted him, sure, but that would not stop her from holding on as tight as she could in fear something would go wrong.

Actually, the thought made Clark smile slightly.

He landed them parallel to the right wall of the building, and the minute his feet hit the ground, Chloe dropped quickly out of his arms. Though their landing seemed well hidden, Clark still flipped his vision to X-ray to search for anything or anyone of great suspicion.

And while he searched for their next threat, Chloe ran quickly up to a gray door to the warehouse. Obviously not the entrance, the door was efficiently locked from the inside and used only for emergency exits.

But that would not stop them.

"Clark!" Chloe whispered urgently, and he turned to see her standing anxiously next to the door.

He nodded and moved to her. "I thought you said you didn't hire me for my _skills_?"

Chloe huffed as if irritated, but couldn't fight the small smile that stretched across the line of her lips. "Nice, flyboy. Just push it in … or do whatever you do."

Clark smiled, took a quick look around, and then surged towards the door and pushed it completely through and into the warehouse with his shoulder. Though the streetlight outside gave them some illumination, it was not enough to fight the overwhelming darkness. And Clark was instantly glad for his super vision, knowing if they were going to find anything here, he would have to be the one to see it.

Chloe sighed next to him. "Any ideas of what or where we should be looking?"

"Behind closed doors?"

"Sounds like we're hitting the NC-17 part of our relationship," Chloe chided softly, letting him see only a hint of a smile in the depths of the dark.

This time, Clark huffed, but joked in return, "Yeah, right."

The first few steps they took were cautionary, and suddenly Clark felt Chloe push him towards the back of the building. "You check the rear."

Clark nodded and moved past her, and quickly switched his vision back to X-ray. He tried to watch his step, but he couldn't help bumping up against a few objects. The spaces to walk through in the crowded building were much too small for a man his size, despite how stealthily he tried to be. The huge trucks painted with the word Lyman did not help matters any, taking up most of the garage space around them. Luckily, his actions were not so loud as to be too suspicious for anyone who might be patrolling the area.

Ahead of him, his vision fell upon a small room that Clark quickly decided was an office. From that point, he walked further into the darkness, past the room, and through the doorway into the second half of the building he didn't even know existed. Again he saw three more Lyman trucks, and suddenly felt a shot of instinct, deciding Lois might actually be _in _one of them. _Maybe they're going to transfer her somewhere? Maybe they thought no one would look?_

And just as he began to scan them, Chloe whispered, loud enough for him to hear, "Hey, over here!"

He turned and finally realized how close she actually was to him. And just as he was about to applaud her fine-tuned spy techniques, Clark noticed what she was standing next to – _a door._

"Can you see what's inside?" Chloe asked quickly.

Clark looked, but was instantly frustrated. "No, it's made of lead."

Chloe turned to the door and placed her hand on its knob. Clark hurried next to her, anxious to protect her from whatever might appear before them. The last thing he needed right now was an injured, or worse yet, dead Chloe Sullivan. After he just survived his father's passing, he had no intention of going through such an ordeal again. _Even if that meant risking my own life … dying myself. _

But when she opened the door, only silence greeted them.

_Silence and stairs._

"Well, let's go," Chloe urged quietly.

Just as she moved, however, Clark grabbed her arm gently.

"Let me go first."

"Why? Don't think I can take care of myself?" Chloe asked, letting her eyebrows arch slightly.

Clark adamantly shook his head, and insisted, "No, no, not because of that." He grabbed her hand confidently. "Because I can see and you can't."

Chloe nodded, but knew by the grip of his hand on hers that his statement only accounted for half of his true intentions. But that was okay, because, though Chloe liked to do things on her own, her life was not the only one in jeopardy. And if she had to give up some of her authority in this case to ensure Lois' safety, and, in the end, her own, then so be it. _Because Clark was right … he can see and I can't right now_. _So I'll let him lead._

Even though she did spot the door before Clark, Chloe would admit she was only so lucky because the light that came through the few windows happened to illuminate one corner of the otherwise well hidden door. In many other parts of the case, Clark's skills did come in handy more times than she could count. And at the moment, as Clark pulled her to the stairs and they began to descend them, Chloe was happy for her forethought. _I'm glad I brought Clark with me … for this entire investigation. Without him … I don't know if I could've done it. _

As she traveled further into the black abyss of darkness, Chloe felt a few chills run directly up her spine. Felt her cheeks redden with the sudden rush of stale, cold air. Felt and heard her feet on the concrete steps below them. Felt Clark's hand tighten anxiously around hers, urging her to stay with him. Silently reassuring her everything would be okay. That everything _was_ okay.

After a few minutes, however, she started to get worried.

"Are we still walking down steps?" Chloe asked, the sarcasm strong in her voice.

Clark nodded. "Yeah, that's all there is."

Silence was their companion as they continued to walk, each depending on the other for strength they didn't think they could muster alone. Though Clark was physically stronger than Chloe, and though she acted submissive throughout the past few minutes, he knew they would never find Lois without her fortitude and unmatched keen for investigation. A talent like no other, an intelligence and stamina to keep digging and digging until she saw the bottom.

And even then, Chloe would rip the bottom open and expose what no one else dared to.

"Wait," Clark insisted suddenly, his voice rising with his quiet excitement. He no longer saw steps, but instead a huge hallway leading further into the unknown. "I think we've reached bottom."

"Finally," Chloe muttered impatiently, stepping up to Clark's side, her hand still in his. "There has to be a light switch somewhere in the depths of hell."

"Until we find one, stay close."

The darkness, however, didn't last long. Just ahead, a small light glimmered and flickered, and Chloe quickly realized they were heading towards a doorway. Obvious questions began to float through her mind, but the most prudent seemed – _"Is someone else done here?" _By all indications, it seemed that way. And she remarked sarcastically, "I doubt someone forgot to turn off the kitchen light before they left."

Clark nodded. "I think we should be careful."

And in thirty seconds, they found themselves in the room of light. Vast, spacious, and empty. The room was gray in color due to the concrete, and also had three doorways that opened up into three separate hallways. _Hallways that led to much, much more._

"How extensive is this?" Clark asked, his frustration clear in his voice.

Chloe shrugged. "I don't know."

They stood in silence for a few moments, both taking in exactly what was ahead of them. Obviously, a choice had to be made as to which way to go first. And it was a decision Chloe really didn't want to make; aware any lost seconds could mean losing Lois for good. With the lights on, it was safe to say Lois' captors might be done here, as well. But that was assuming this was the right building in the first place. Assuming they could trust everyone they interviewed, every path they chose, and every decision they've made throughout this entire investigation.

For some reason, Chloe felt it. _This is it … something is here …something … _

Regardless of odds, Lois was waiting for them somewhere in this dingy place. And Chloe wouldn't leave until they found her.

"Let's separate," Chloe suggested in a whisper. "We'll cover more ground that way."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Clark …".

"No," Clark interrupted, stepping close to her. "We don't know what's down here. Or _who's_ down here."

Chloe smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "You're right, Clark, I did partly ask you to help me because of your special skills. That means, if I need you, I'll yell for you, okay?"

Clark shook his head. "Chloe, I can't promise I'll get to you in time. Who knows how big this place is down here, or how complicated it might be …".

"Trust me, Clark. Please," Chloe insisted in a soft whisper. "It'll be okay."

Though Clark didn't like it, he yielded to her insistence. Because he really couldn't stop her. Sure, he could follow her, but that wasn't right, despite his reservations. And he remembered that Chloe already trusted him tonight, numerous times really. Now … it was _his turn_ to trust completely.

He nodded and turned away. "Okay."

Chloe squeezed his hand. "Clark?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled widely, reassuringly, let her thumb rub the back of his hand affectionately, and said, "I promise you, when this is all over … I'll buy you dinner for being so brave."

Clark looked to her, unable to stop the huge smile from breaking across his dark features. "Promise?"

Chloe smirked. "I do." But then, in the next breath, she insisted, "You go right and I'll go left. Maybe this is just a big circle and we'll meet in the middle somewhere."

"All right," Clark agreed. But he wouldn't let them separate until she understood how handicapped he was down here. He still had his speed, and mostly everything else. But his X-ray vision, which he tended to rely on greatly in rescue situations, could not be depended on. "Just to remind you, I can't see much from room to room. Some seem to have lead walls and others don't. So if you need help, I don't know how long it'll take me to get to you."

Chloe nodded and moved away towards the left hallway. "I understand. I'm taking my life in my own hands. I get that."

"Okay."

Clark then smiled and walked towards the right hallway, sufficiently happy that they would make it out of here okay. And that Chloe would owe him dinner for being so brave. The latter thought caused him to smirk.

But Chloe added, with a soft voice, "Hey, Clark." He turned to her. "You be careful, too." For some reason, all this talk about last moments turned Chloe's stomach sour, and it was just something she needed to say. Of course everything would be fine, and of course they would Lois, safe and sound. Yet she couldn't leave him without saying it.

He smiled and then finally sped down the right hallway.

Chloe took a deep breath, and ran down the left.


	17. Chapter 17

Lana knew they had searched every room they had passed by since they began this hallway. But despite their foul luck, she would not let go of the belief that Lois was down in this maze some place. And she kept reminding herself that there was much more to search through, many more rooms waiting for them. Maybe they did take the wrong path, initially, but that was okay really. Because they would search everything, no matter what, until they found her.

"Nothing in here," Lex declared as he stepped out of a room just ahead of her.

Lana shook her head. "I guess I was naïve enough to believe it would be much easier than this. That she would be right here. That she would just … show up."

Lex admitted, "I know. I even thought we would find her pretty quickly."

Ahead of them was just more hallway, and more rooms, set about twenty feet apart, waiting for them to look and be disappointed. But Lana would continue to look under every rock, in every space, and every closet until Lois was safe. If it took all night, which was not a new concept in this case, then so be it. Because time was still critical. And every second counts.

"Let's keep going," Lana insisted and walked past Lex to continue down the hallway.

Lex nodded and hurried to catch up to her. "I'm sure she can't be too far."

The next few rooms they searched revealed the same result, however, and Lana continued to be awed with the sheer size of this hidden level. _Peterson really has quite an operation down here. _Though she saw no Lois, Lana did see many different offices, rooms full of stolen merchandise, and conference spaces. Along with rooms with nothing inside, and Lana did not even want to know what happened in them.

Just as she considered the next course of action, possibly something that would make this search go faster, they approached another crossroads. Another hallway that branched out from the one they were currently following. And Lana just grimaced at the thought. _Here we go again … more instincts, more decisions_.

"Which way?" Lana asked.

Lex sighed. "I don't know."

After a few moments of silence, Lex took a few steps into the new hallway, seeing it cornered at a ninety-degree angle and then traveled further towards the middle of the level. "Maybe we should wait. Stay the course. I think we might come upon this hallway again."

"But what if we don't?"

"We will," he insisted.

Lana suddenly felt overwhelmed with their current task, knowing they could easily miss something in their search. And missing anything could be fatal for their case. _Could be fatal for Lois. _

But what else could they do? Because Lex was right … the best thing to do was stay the course and not get caught up in the tailwind of this complicated web. They needed to resist the black hole, the suction that could force them further into the depths of the unknown. Push them so deep as to lose themselves completely in this dreadful maze. And, in the end, be totally useless, and be of no help to Lois at all.

"All right, let's keep going," agreed Lana, though still unsure of their decision.

Lex nodded, smiled reassuringly, and continued down their original hallway.

Lana followed, but reluctantly.

------------------------

Chloe felt her frustrations rise in heart. Each room she searched revealed nothing, and the more she looked, the more frantic her actions became. _Maybe Clark has had more luck … but wouldn't he have found me by now if that were true? _That thought quickly convinced her that both she and Clark were in the same boat at the moment – no Lois yet. Though she usually trusted her instincts, Chloe finally began to entertain the possibility that Lois may not be down here at all.

And they were just wasting more precious time.

Chloe saw a room up ahead, sighed, and opened the door. Again, she saw nothing, save for a huge conference table in the middle of the room. After giving the room a careful scan for anything helpful, she shut the door angrily and continued down the hallway in a quick pace.

Just as she began to consider other scenarios, frantically flipping through her investigative skills for anything of use, Chloe eyes caught another doorway up ahead. She quickened her pace a bit, and in seconds realized it was just another gray hallway leading even further into the center of the floor. And for a moment, Chloe almost dismissed it; certain it would be a waste of time. It might even be the rabbit hole, waiting to send her to some unknown land, and she would be lost forever.

_Overdramatic thought … yeah, I'm always over dramatic when I'm frustrated._

Yet something still attracted her to it.

Chloe sighed, knowing this divergent path would haunt her till the day she died, especially if they neglected to find Lois at all.

And the temptation became too strong.

In seconds, she gave in and stepped into it.

-----------------------

Clark felt the air rush by him as he sped further down the hallway. He stopped at each door, but his search was done in super speed. It took him half the time of a normal person to search the rooms he came across, especially when at least half of them he could look into with his X-ray vision. The other half he had to physically go inside, and come out disappointed for clinging to that ounce of hope still left in his heart. _Lois, where are you?_

He could tell he was finally coming to the end of the hallway, seeing it corner to the left to something he could not see. _Maybe Chloe was right. Maybe we'll just meet up on the other side._

Just as he came upon and around that corner, however, his eyes found another door. To his surprise, Clark could see into the room, and initially saw nothing of suspicion or worth time to search further. Until, that is, he saw another door inside the room itself. And though he tried, he could not see passed that second doorway. And he knew if he just continued on his way, it would nag him until he knew exactly what was inside.

Clark sighed in frustration, and finally decided it would only take him a few seconds to decide that nothing was there. He opened the first door only to see the emptiness his X-ray vision revealed to him before. _What I expected, _Clark concluded. Yet the door directly in the center of the room loomed over his mind. He could tell from the walls that surrounded the door that the room seemed very small. _Perhaps even too small to have a captured Lois Lane in there somewhere._

But he needed to look. And he knew it.

Clark stepped into the room at normal speed and walked right up to the lead doorway, and stretched his hand to the doorknob.

And with sigh, he opened it.

Only to feel a familiar sickness clench at his stomach, and feel himself double over in unbelievable pain. He then felt his blood begin to boil underneath the mounting pressure, and soon his knees finally buckled from the weight. In seconds, he fell to the ground with a loud thud, unable to support himself any longer. And when his hand glided across the floor, in front of his eyes, he saw his veins turn to ominous green.

Clark felt his cheek on the cold, concrete floor before him, and suddenly realized that there was an excellent chance he may not survive it this time. Not because his friends and family didn't care. Or because he couldn't fight it, just as he's always done before. But because the pressure, the pain that surrounded him seemed extremely strong. _How much is in there? It feels … so much, so strong … _

As the glow of green flooded his eyes, his consciousness, all Clark wanted to do was sleep. Let his pain drift, perhaps forever.

Yet the last thing that crossed his mind, before the pain took all rational thought completely, was Chloe.

_Please Chloe … please find me …_

Clark remembered the dinner Chloe promised him before they parted ways. And he almost smiled thinking of it, despite the likelihood that it may never happen. But the kryptonite took his mind away from the world before he could.

_Chloe …please … _

… _I love you … _

Then everything went black.

----------------------

Chloe turned the next corner in this new hallway, believing she really was in wonderland. The hallway did go on for quite awhile, with barely any rooms to search through. And once again, she questioned her decision-making, angry with herself for giving into her curiosity. _If I don't find anything in here … if Lois is found dead … it'll be my fault, I know it._

The gray fixture of the walls did not help her mood any, and Chloe felt disgusted with the lack of décor. But she knew the feeling came with her own disappointment. _How much time have we wasted?_

Chloe had an overwhelming feeling to call for Clark, see if he felt the same way. Perhaps inquire as to what he would want to do next.

Then a doorway appeared before her, and she grimaced at the thought. _How many of these have I searched through? And found nothing?_

But once again, her curiosity would not let her go until she was satisfied. Clark always told her the curiosity she carried would one day get her into trouble. It has so many times before, and Chloe wondered if she would ever be able to rid herself of it. Though she often loved it, there were also times she hated it.

And today was one of those days.

Yet with a deep sigh, Chloe walked to the door and opened it.

Immediately, her eyes grew with shock, and excitement shot like a rocket through her soul.

She could think of only one word to say.

"Lois!"

Chloe finally found her. There were no words to describe her feelings, completely taken aback by how long it took her to get here. And though Chloe wanted to do nothing else but hug her cousin as long as possible, she also knew there would be plenty of time for that when all of this was over. Until then, Chloe could not let her emotions take hold of her. There was still too much to do, and this was not the time to make stupid mistakes.

When she moved into the room, she saw her cousin was clearly tied to a chair, gagged, and desperately trying to say something, despite her physical inhibitions. Chloe sensed something was obviously wrong, but threw the thought aside and rushed over to her. The first task was to untie Lois, and get out of here as quickly as possible. And just as Chloe's hands reached the ropes around the chair, working to undo the knots, she knew she needed to call for Clark. _Clark can get us out of here quickly._

"It's going to be okay. We're going to get you out of here." Chloe's words were said softly, and used as an attempt to calm Lois down a bit. Lois was clearly agitated, and Chloe had no way of knowing why until the gag was taken out.

And when she finally untied her, Chloe removed the obnoxious cloth from Lois' mouth.

"Chloe!" Lois shouted, tears streaming down her face. Yet her throat was still a bit raw, and her declaration was said with great difficulty.

Chloe pulled Lois to her feet and hugged her tightly, grateful for her safety. Thanking God and anyone else who might be listening.

Though Lois hugged her back for a second, she pushed her away urgently, her eyes still wide with shock. Her voice still struggling to speak.

"Lois, I'm so glad you're safe."

"Chloe …".

Chloe then realized that Lois was still trying to tell her something. "Lois … what? What's wrong?"

Lois paused for a minute, took a deep breath, and desperately struggled past her raw throat. And shaking her head, finally she whispered it.

"You just activated the bomb."


	18. Chapter 18

Clark heard someone calling his name, like an echo drumming inside of his exhausted mind. At first, he really didn't want to open his eyes, content with his current state of unconsciousness at the moment. When unconscious, the pain of kryptonite seemed to ease a bit, making it almost bearable. Throughout the many instances he's been in the presence of his poison, only one other time did the pain feel _this_ intense, and _this_ powerful.

Oddly, though he remembered the pain, the moment itself slipped from him. _When was it? I can't … I can't remember … so long ago._

A chill ran up his spine from the cold of the concrete below his cheek, under his side. He tried to think of anything but right now. Anything to take his mind away from what might be waiting for him. _Death … or something worse. _And with a silent smile, Clark could almost see the future. The future that waited for him. The future … _with Chloe._ _Standing next to him, holding his hand. Between them, their child stood, pulling at the hem of his shirt, silently begging for his father to pick him up, to hold him. And when he does, he feels Chloe circle her arms around his waist, and kiss him on the cheek._

"Mr. Kent?" came the voice once more, this time much more insistent.

With a groan, Clark forced his eyes to open, the curiosity a little too difficult to fight now. _Chloe … I think you're rubbing off on me a little._

However, all he saw in front of him was a blur of gray, and that only confused him more. He remembered, vaguely, coming into this room to search for Lois. How long has it been? How long was he out? Clark moaned a bit at the thought, hoping Lois was okay. Hoping Chloe was okay. Though he would love for them to find him, it was better they stay away.

They needed to save themselves.

"Mr. Kent?" This time, it was said with a slight drawl, a stretch of his last name for emphasis. "Wake up, Mr. Kent. We have lots to discuss."

_Discuss?_

Clark groaned again and flipped to his back. This time, he didn't just see gray. He saw a face bent over him, as well. But it wasn't Chloe's, and it certainly wasn't Lois' face, either. But it did seem familiar; enough to make him squint his eyes to see it slightly better behind the frustrating, blurry goggles of sickness. He cursed himself for his inability to put two and two together.

"Come on, Mr. Kent. I don't think it's too difficult to recognize me. I'm the one you and you're lady friend have been investigating since you've been here."

_To realize the obvious._

"Peterson?" Clark asked weakly. But it couldn't be … could it? He only saw his face numerous times on the Internet while he and Chloe investigated throughout the past few days. But he did see it enough to know the man standing above him wasn't lying. And, really, it did make sense. This building, the Lyman Company in particular, was supposed to be owned by Peterson. So finding him down here shouldn't be a shock. Furthermore, underneath the current dose of gut wrenching pain, Clark suspected everything Lois investigated and claimed Peterson might have done over the past three months was probably true.

Seeing Peterson, however, certainly caused Clark's anxiety to rise a bit. _This is his building, his company, and his kryptonite. _

_His kryptonite … _

_He obviously must know something about me._

Peterson smiled widely. "Very good. I would hope you would know what I looked like if you've been investigating me."

Clark sighed and closed his eyes, desperate to fight a wave of pain that coursed through his veins. He could barely think at the moment, think anywhere past the intense anguish of the possible outcome of this situation. And trying to play mind chess with someone like Peterson right now seemed much more difficult than usual. Though he wished the opposite just minutes before, Clark could not help but think of Chloe. Wish that she were here.

But it was a selfish thought. And he knew it.

He then noticed Peterson was studying him rather intently, and no matter how hard he tried, Clark could not suppress the agony that he knew must be clearly drawn along his own features. His captor then stood up from his bent down position, a move that finally revealed the pistol he held firmly in his right hand. And with a knowing smile, Peterson broke the momentary silence with a keen observation. "I see the meteor rocks do have a negative affect on you. I was told you might react to them this way."

Though Clark wanted to address such a comment sometime in the future, at the moment, much more was at stake. His health, as far as he was concerned, was not one of them. ""Where's Lois Lane?"

Peterson laughed and shook his head. "I can already tell you have no idea what is really going on here."

Clark huffed underneath his rasps for breath, and commented dryly, "Why don't you fill me in?"

"Okay, Mr. Kent," Peterson acknowledged with a grin, "I'll tell you what you really want to know. Because it's not like it's going to matter much anyway, especially considering all of this will be up in smoke in less than twenty minutes."

Clark felt his stomach do somersaults with his last few words; his worry heightened ten fold for his friends. "Up in smoke?"

Peterson nodded. "Yeah, you know, a huge explosion. To ensure _everything_ down here is covered up as efficiently as possible. I wouldn't want anyone to suspect."

"Everything?" Clark asked through tight lips, his fight with the kryptonite draining more and more of his strength. He knew the length of exposure would have a direct correlation with the length of his possible recovery. Assuming he survived this at all, of course. But either way, he knew he would be of no help to himself until he gained at least a little of his strength back.

Even worse, if anyone else tried to rescue him, it would be unlikely he would be able to pitch in. _Only if the kryptonite was removed … only then could I be of any assistance._

"Look around you, Mr. Kent - we are _standing _in the middle of the Jewel Incorporated offices," Peterson informed in a light tone, using his pistol to gesture around the room as he began to pace. "It's the very company I am sure you and Ms. Sullivan have come across a few times in your research."

Clark felt his chest tighten with Peterson's admission, his thoughts suddenly drawn completely into the conversation. When he searched the floor, he did run into quite a few offices and conference rooms, which seemed to support Peterson's words. So maybe he was telling the truth. Furthermore, it explained why he and Chloe found nothing of use on the company – no location, nothing to help them in their search for Lois. The company did not just hide from the business world, or just from the media, but it hid from all of civilization as a whole.

It did so to give itself an extra security blanket, and actually, it worked. Save for a curious Lois Lane who dared to look under the façade, beneath the distraction of car and subway accidents, everyone involved in the accidents were efficiently fooled.

And suddenly, Clark had to know. He had to know the truth.

"Did you do it?" he asked, though he struggled with his words, as the kryptonite took more from him. For anyone else, a much deeper explanation might be needed. But Clark knew Peterson would have no trouble catching the true meaning of his question.

And he didn't hesitate with his answer in the least.

"If you mean the car accident, the subway accident, the fire," Peterson began coolly, "then yes, I staged all of them. Merely to gain the votes I needed within the Board of Directors of certain companies. They weren't very cooperative. They didn't see the benefits of allowing Jewel Incorporated to take over."

Clark grimaced in pain as he spoke. "So you rushed to show them what would happen if they didn't comply? Is that it?"

"Something like that," Peterson commented with a small grin. "But I can't believe you still have not caught on."

Clark sighed and let his head fall back to the concrete, already fed up with the mind games. He wanted nothing else but to be in his room, or perhaps his loft, working diligently on the news article that would slam-dunk this guy. Better yet, he wished he were in Chloe's apartment in Metropolis, sipping sweet, red wine by the fire, and holding her protectively in his strong, loving embrace.

_It's been two years since I've thought of Chloe that way … knowing it might come true if I can get out of here …_

Regardless of his fantasies, they still did not take him completely away from the here and now. And, honestly, he did want to know what has truly dragged both he and Chloe to Las Vegas, if not for Lois Lane, or freak accidents, or Peterson himself. If they did miss something somewhere, he was more than happy to hear what it might be from the true source.

"Caught onto what?" he asked, closing his eyes again, and rolling his head a bit to the right.

Peterson folded his arms. "That all of this, the car accident, the fire, the subway crash, all of it was a setup - was merely the means to an end."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I know … to buy the companies. You've said that already."

Peterson shook his head. "No, no, Mr. Kent. Buying the companies was not the goal."

"Then what was?" Clark could not help but sound aggravated. _If he doesn't say something meaningful soon … _

"To make sure you die."

The blood from Clark's face drained even further, and his complexion quickly turned into a ghostly white as the pang of the truth stung him deep in his soul. Suddenly, the effects of the kryptonite felt like an insurmountable weight on his entire body, its intensity driven to an unbearable extreme of the spectrum. Though his heart urged him to fight, he remained still, desperately trying to find something, anything to give him hope. He didn't want to give up, knowing he's never done so before.

He wanted to ask why – why would someone like Peterson want him dead? But, as drained as he was, he let the moment to ask slip away. Because did it really matter? Especially when Peterson might accomplish his goal? Perhaps Clark did something to him in the past? Maybe he got too close to the case? Maybe … so many possibilities. _Too much to think about._

Then Clark quickly realized how easily it would be for him to accept his dismal fate. He was sure no one was coming for him. And he knew, further, that he might not survive the explosion. With the kryptonite so near, soon his invulnerability would be completely gone. And his hope for a bright future with the one he loved began to fade away into the space of the forgotten.

He heard Peterson say something else to him as he slipped his eyelids closed. _Something about using Lois Lane to draw him to this trap_. _Something about using Chloe to urge him to investigate, to push_ _him to his limits_. With his last conscious thoughts occupied entirely by Chloe's love, by the feel of her arms around him, by the fire, and the wine, his last shed of strength finally left him completely.

Though the world went black around him, Chloe's love kept his heart beating.

And promised him a miracle.

_Bomb?_

Chloe barely heard the words before her heart doubled in speed. It was the last thing she expected to find down here, and she cursed herself for not assuming the worse. Clearly, she and Clark should have stayed together, even if that meant Clark physically carrying her as they sped at top speed through the numerous hallways. And she knew, even worse, how difficult it would be to climb out of the black hole that they've gotten themselves in. _I barely made it through … I doubt I can find my way out when I'm timed._

"A bomb?" she finally asked, her eyes looking into Lois' for confirmation. Not that she didn't believe her, but Chloe was desperate for anything to break them out of this hell, both actually and figuratively.

Lois nodded urgently. "Yeah. When you opened the door, the timer began. He set it just before he left the room."

Chloe looked to the doorway and saw the timer on the wall, it's red light blinking for each second as it passed. Though she did not see the explosives themselves, she did see the wiring that led into the wall to something they could not see. It was anybody's guess as to where the wiring ended up, which meant finding the bomb in this maze, was probably unlikely.

With no way to really disarm it, the next solution was simple - _run._ And since it didn't go off immediately, they must have, at least, a little time to escape.

"Who set it?" Chloe asked, as she rushed over to the timer, anxious to see how long they would have.

Lois shook her head and commented dryly, "I don't know. Just some burly guy who kept coming in here to ensure I didn't escape or try to kill myself. We had lovely conversations."

"Well, we have nineteen minutes to escape Alcatraz," Chloe declared, and just as she turned from the timer towards the door, her eyes suddenly looked into a face she didn't expect to see.

Someone she never wanted to see again.

To match her grimace, Lex Luthor just smiled, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Nineteen minutes until what?" he asked, still slightly out of breath as he stepped into the room.

Lana, only seconds behind him, suddenly appeared. She saw Lois immediately, and rushed up to her quickly to give her a warm hug. Like weight lifted, Lana could not describe her relief of seeing her friend still alive. It had been such a long journey, one that tested Lana's sanity often enough. Not to mention her morals, as she clearly broke another friend's trust by involving Lex Luthor. Yet, in the end, the price was worth it. Lois was safe. And that was most important.

"Lois, thank goodness," she whispered, hugging her just a little tighter.

Lois smiled and hugged her in return. "Glad to see you, too, but … " she began, and then drifted from Lana, her tone turning serious quickly, "There's a bomb. I won't celebrate until we get out of here."

Chloe, however, was still trying to catch up. Before her, she saw her best friend with her worst enemy. And Lex still had not taken his eyes off of her. How this happened, Chloe wasn't even sure she wanted to know. Yet her curiosity, once again, pulled at her heartstrings. She remembered, very clearly, her dismissal of Lana when she offered to help with the case. And she did so with good reason, something her best friend had to know was for the best.

In fact, without Lana involved at all – at least as far as Chloe was concerned – she and Clark found Lois. Which only meant that Chloe knew what she was talking about in concern with her partnership with Clark, despite hurt feelings, and Lana never had to be here.

Yet Chloe understood why Lana wanted to help. And seeing her here was not what bothered Chloe the most. How she got here, apparently through Lex Luthor, was the real reason for Chloe's sudden feeling of resentment. Further, she felt betrayed. It had never been a secret for the two of them. Chloe was the most open with Lana when it came to Lex Luthor and Clark Kent. She knew how much pain Lex caused, the lives he ruined, and the destruction he often left in his wake.

But questioning Lana's bad use of resources was not at the forefront of her mind, either.

Standing in front of Lex, her emotions boiling over, despite her desperate resolution to stay calm, Chloe could not help it. _Something had to be said._

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chloe asked harshly, stepping back from him slightly.

Lex sighed and placed his hands in his pockets. "I know we don't have the best history, Chloe, but, under the current circumstances, I would hope we could get past it, if only for the next twenty minutes."

Chloe said bitterly, "There would be nothing to get past if you had kept your hands to yourself."

"Chloe, I made a mistake, I admit that," Lex insisted, now stepping closer to her to suggest validity in his words.

However, it would take much more than words to suppress Chloe's anger. Especially when, at the moment, she had to fight the urge to step up and punch him across the room. Actually, she almost laughed at the absurdity of the idea. Not that she couldn't defend herself, but for some reason, Chloe sensed if Clark were here, he would take care of it. And really, Chloe preferred Clark unleash himself on Lex rather than herself. Then maybe he would realize the hurt he caused the two of them.

Instead of violence, Chloe stuck with her biting sarcasm, her one true weapon. "I didn't think millionaires actually apologized. Isn't their policy more like – give someone a million to shut up?"

"Chloe," Lana warned lightly, finally stepping away from Lois to enter the conversation. "I don't think this is the place to argue."

"What did you expect would happen when you brought him along?" Chloe asked, now directing her out of control flair towards her best friend. "A parade dedicated to his return into our lives?"

Lex then spoke up in his defense, his voice soft. "Actually, Chloe," he began, matching her gaze again, "I hoped for a second chance."

"Do you know how much he has done to help find Lois?" Lana pointed out quickly, finding it extremely strange that she was actually speaking up for him. Certainly, he still has explaining to do. But now was not the time. And Lana hoped that Chloe would see Lex as an ally rather than an enemy. Perhaps even allow this moment to be the beginning of something new – a new friendship with both Chloe and Clark.

But Chloe didn't seem to see it that way.

"Well, then, maybe you should get an award for arriving here late," Chloe snapped. "Apparently, Clark and I didn't need your help to get here ourselves."

"Chloe, that's not fair," Lana said, the edge in her voice slight but strong.

Chloe turned to her. "What's not fair? That Lex took two years of my life with Clark away? That he let us hurt over something that _he_ caused? Tell me, Lana, where exactly is the real injustice here?"

"Hey, guys!" Lois interrupted, aware the bickering was getting much worse. Not to mention the tick tock of the bomb that sat just a few feet away from them. All three were quickly wrapped up in the soap opera of two years ago. An episode of betrayal and jealousy Lois chose to opt out of – other than talking with her cousin, of course. Regardless of the old feelings finally coming to life after so long, and the likely importance of such a conversation, this, as Lana suggested, was not the time.

Yet they continued to argue in the background of Lois' thoughts.

_As my father always taught me … be tough when commanding a unit._

"Hey!" she shouted again, and this time, all three stopped their now barely understandable arguing to gaze over to their friend. _The reason why they came here in the first place._ "I know you all want to fight about this further. But you can't argue if you're dead. So let's get going."

Chloe sighed and knew she began this argument – this painful use of precious time they could not spare. Probably, if she had let it go for the moment, they would already be down the hall, and maybe even upstairs, with safety only feet away. But her heart would not let this moment go without the much-deserved release. Hopefully, her life and the lives of her friends did not just become the ransom for such a raw, destructive need. "Right, come on. We only have about sixteen minutes now. We're going to need every second we can get."

"I think I remember our way out of here," Lex offered with a hint of urgency, and he stepped out into the hallway just behind him.

Lana nodded and looked to Chloe, her best friend of nine long years. She didn't want to argue with her, especially now. Of course Lana knew why Chloe felt the way she did towards Lex. And, of course, it made sense. Furthermore, under the current stresses of a bomb ticking away their last moments of life, Chloe probably had no room in her heart to forgive the unforgivable.

And Lana knew she was pushing it. She could forgive Lex so much easier because she was not the center of the problem. Chloe and Clark, however, were, and they suffered greatly for it.

So arguing about this, truly, led them nowhere.

As an act of truce, Lana smiled and suggested, "We need to finish what we came here to do."

Chloe nodded, and then commented sarcastically, "Yeah, I think it would look pretty bad if we all tripped up at the goal line."

Lois sighed and moved past them towards Lex, who was now completely out of the doorway and half way down the first hallway. "Well, if no one else will move, I will."

Chloe huffed and, quickly, both she and Lana caught up with the quickly moving Lois and Lex. "I guess we're all allowed to be sarcastic today."

"Yeah," Lois began, as they all picked up their pace of swiftly walking to a light run. "When bombs are about to kill me, I'm funny like that."

It took them only a minute to reach the crossroads that connected this small hallway to the main one. The same spot where Lex and Lana, originally, took a wrong turn. With that at the forefront of his mind, Lex turned left, back the way they had come. He certainly had no wish to get all of them lost down here.

Just as they all began a full run, however, Chloe suddenly halted in the middle of the hallway. Like a lightning bolt directly to her heart, she finally remembered that Clark was still down here someplace – probably still searching for Lois. He would never leave this level without her beside him. Not that she should worry for him, though, because he was indestructible. And leaving him would be okay considering the difficulty she would have trying to find him.

Lana finally stopped about twenty feet ahead of her friend, realizing Chloe was not beside her. She turned to see her friend standing motionless, her face drawn with a hint of fear. "Chloe, what is it?"

Chloe sighed and started to move in the opposite direction. Because she knew what she had to do. "You guys go ahead."

Lois and Lex finally stopped and turned, they a mere twenty feet ahead of Lana. "Chloe?" Lois asked, a bit concerned.

Lex stepped up slightly. "Chloe, what are you doing?"

Chloe shook her head. "Clark's still down here. I have to find him."

"I'll go with you," Lana suggested strongly, and started to walk towards her. Chloe was right – if Clark was down here somewhere, they needed to find him before they left. They would just have to pray there would be enough time to escape.

But Chloe couldn't have that happen. She _knew_ Clark was still down here somewhere. Something inside of her told her it was so, reassured her doubts. Despite his ability to take care of himself, she couldn't fight the urge – or, rather – the need to see him. To make sure he was okay. With time ticking away, the moment Chloe found him, Clark would be forced to do something _super _to get them out of here alive. Well, to get _her_ out of here alive, anyway. And having someone else with them, especially someone who doesn't know his secret, would only make that more difficult.

"No, no, you keep going," Chloe urged, her distance from her friends growing.

Lois shook her head adamantly, and stepped up beside Lana. "We are not leaving you down here alone, Chloe. If Clark's still down here, at least one of us should go with you. I didn't deal with your death well the first time, and I have no wish to relive it."

Chloe could not help but smile with the comment, but continued to walk away. "It'll be okay, I promise."

Just as she turned away, however, Lex shouted back. "Are you insane?"

Chloe stopped abruptly and turned to them. Was she insane? What was really driving her to do this, especially when she knew Clark would probably be just fine? Why was she letting her worry influence her?

It was simple, really. And Chloe didn't hesitate to admit it.

"No, Lex. I'm in love."

Words that surprised her friends. Words they didn't expect to hear. Because so much had changed in the past two days. She looked at her problems with Clark differently. She looked at her love for him differently. And she looked at him differently. _A change of heart_.

Finally, with a smile, she turned and ran the other way.

Lex, Lana, and Lois stared at their friend's shrinking form down the hall, and then gazed at each other gravely. None of them liked the idea of leaving Chloe – and Clark, for that matter – down here alone. There was no way to tell how this would end. With Clark and Chloe in the midst of it, there was an excellent chance that they would not survive.

Which seemed to anger Lois more than any of them.

"What, we're just going to let her go?" she asked bitterly.

Lana shook her head, and looked towards the path that would lead them to safety. Of course she wanted to go after Chloe, and of course she wanted to find Clark. No matter their differences, she's always loved those two. Chloe has been her best friend for years, as has Clark. _Clark – the love of her life_. Her heart ached for him right now, aware that he might be in trouble. Aware he might not survive this.

Because Chloe was right … he must still be down here somewhere. Otherwise, he would have found them.

But that worry was hers no longer. Chloe would find Clark. Lana was sure of it. And the best thing she can do right now is respect her best friend's wishes. Apparently, Chloe knew something that the rest of them did not. Keeping that in mind, Lana felt confident, despite everything, that she would see her two best friends on the other side.

She just knew it.

"Yeah, that's what she wants," Lana whispered.

Lex then urged quietly, "Let's go."


	19. Chapter 19

Chloe felt her breath tighten in her lungs the more she ran down the never-ending hallway. The muscles in her legs began to strain a bit, because with each passing second, she forced herself to run harder and faster. Each room she passed, she gave it a quick look before moving to the next one. In the meantime, she called Clark's name at the top of her lungs, knowing he would eventually hear her. One of the main reasons why she took on this risk was because of his super powers, which she knew would come in handy. Super hearing to hear her from virtually anywhere on the level, and super speed to get them out of here as quickly as possible.

Because of that, Chloe didn't think finding him would take that long, either. She assumed she would catch up with him in the first few minutes of the search. Maybe even in the first thirty seconds.

But, after five minutes in the search with no response, Chloe began to worry.

_Where was he?_

She finally considered her act of bravery might have actually been an act of stupidity. _Because maybe he did make it out okay. And maybe I have nothing to worry about. And maybe … I made a mistake._

Chloe looked to her watch eagerly, once again seeing the same passage of time. _Yup, it's been five minutes since I started searching. _She knew the point of no return was approaching fast, and soon she might be forced to think about turning back if she ever wanted to survive this without Clark's aid. With just above ten minutes left until the building exploded, the decision would have to be made in the next ten seconds.

But it was a decision Chloe dreaded to make, because something instinctive told her to keep moving. To fight her fears of being swallowed up in a massive explosion. To remember why she came down here, and what drove her to such limits. Though she feared death, she also feared the possibility that Clark, for some reason, might not make it out of here. Which, she knew, might be an irrational thought. _He's indestructible, I have to remember that. It's just a concept that's difficult to get used to. Especially when you're in love with him …_

_In love … I've always been in love with him. Always._

However, Chloe decided to do the most rational thing she could; she made a deal with herself. If she didn't find Clark in the next minute, then she would turn around and run like hell to get out of here before it was _really_ too late.

With that promise to herself at the forefront of her mind, Chloe quickened her pace to turn the corner that appeared before her. It opened up to the right, and Chloe instantly saw the exact same thing she has seen ever since she started this search first for Lois, and now Clark; a gray hallway peppered with an endless amount of rooms on each side. Rooms with the doors secured, though never locked. The latter an interesting characteristic of the level that Chloe vowed to investigate when she was safe and sound in her apartment in Metropolis.

_Or, better yet, at the Kent Farm. Lying in Clark's arms in front of his fireplace, sipping red wine, feeling his skin against hers, and whispering loving words in his ear. Telling him how deeply her heart beats for him._

Something, however, suddenly caught her eye just ahead. Enough to break her out of her current fantasy, and force her back to the present. Something she didn't expect to see.

Only twenty feet away, a door to a room was wide open, an anomaly that heightened both Chloe's excitement and suspicions. She finally felt her actions were justified, and knew, for sure, that _sometime_ … _somewhere_ … _someplace_ … she and Clark would be in each other's arms again. A thought that hastened her actions, sped up her heartbeat, and reassured her that everything was going to be okay. That soon, all of this would be over, and over for good.

As Chloe ran to the room, she half expected to physically run into Clark, because it wouldn't take him long to search the space and discover Lois was not there. With his speed, he could search and leave a room in only a second's time. Of course, he could have left the room already, as well. Maybe, in his speed and efficiency, he happened to forget to close the door to the room when he left.

That was possible, too.

Above all, however, Chloe chose to think positively. Because even though she had faith in Clark and in his abilities, she still could not explain the gnawing instinct deep inside her heart. Like any good reporter, it was instinct she could not ignore, no matter how hard she tried.

If God was on their side … Chloe would see Clark standing in the room, anticipating her … as if he knew she was coming for him. Like a fairytale – which, of course, ended with him picking her up and speeding them to safety. Taking them to the rest of their lives, to the future that was set up two, long years ago. A future that, with these last two days, has quickly turned into destiny. The light at the end of the rainbow, the promise of something bigger than themselves. Something neither could explain, but needed desperately to survive.

However, when she entered the doorway to the room, what she saw in front of her was not the Clark she expected. Instead of him standing and smiling at her in return, Chloe was drilled with the image of an unconscious Clark lying alone on the floor. Green pulsed through his veins, so strong as to be seen from across the room. And suddenly, the image of their future, once reflected within the mirror of their lives, was shattered in pieces.

Chloe ran to him quickly, his name on her lips as she fell to her knees beside him, his presence like smoke dulling her eyesight, causing them to water at the edges. She pulled his head into her lap and moved a hand to his neck, and sighed in immediate, but short-lived relief when she felt his weak pulse beneath her fingertips. Though he was still alive, he certainly would not be able to get them out of here in his condition.

_Only … only kryptonite can hurt him … right? …_

Chloe quickly scanned the area around them, but saw no kryptonite in her immediate vision. An outcome she didn't expect, believing the source of Clark's pain would be obvious. Instinctively, she pulled him a little closer to her, as if cradling a priceless child in her arms. "Hold on, baby. It's okay," Chloe whispered, her voice drenched in grief, as she traced her fingers delicately across his right cheek. His skin was still very warm, like fire underneath her touch. She could still see the pain in his face, though he remained motionless, like a ghostly shadow cast upon him.

Though Chloe tried to keep her tears to a minimum, as an attempt to keep her mind clear, they now streamed fully down her cheeks. Her hands cupped Clark's face gently, her eyes searching there for hope. For anything to hold onto, for strength she couldn't summon on her own. "Come on, Clark. You can't leave me here without you," she began, barely a whisper above the silence. She then bent down to him, her lips to his forehead, then his cheek.

A future without him, she knew, was worse than death itself.

"I can't do this by myself."

But Chloe knew she had to do this by herself. She was the only one that could save Clark. The only one that could save their love. And she knew, further, that saving both of them meant saving Clark first. It meant finding the source of the kryptonite – or, if she must, physically dragging him out of the room entirely. If the latter must be done, she was ready to take it on, despite their obvious difference in size. Super strength did not fuel her energy, her will to do what she must.

Love was her fuel.

_Kryptonite … it has to be here somewhere._

Chloe looked to her watch, seeing they now had only nine minutes to escape. Only nine minutes to find the kryptonite before it was too late. And she could already feel a bit of haste and frustration rise in her heart, realizing the kryptonite's location would not be blatantly obvious. With that in mind, she wondered if this was some kind of game for someone. Maybe somebody was watching them, knowing what would happen when she didn't find it.

However, when Chloe looked up from Clark, she saw in front of her what she didn't see before – a door. Normally, she probably would have seen it immediately upon entering the room. But, with an unconscious Clark on the floor, not to mention the door is practically camouflaged within the wall that surrounds it, it was no wonder it took her a few minutes to catch a glimpse of it.

With a smile, Chloe knew what was behind it. The door was ajar only a few feet, but it would probably be enough to expose Clark to a lethal amount of kryptonite. Chloe smiled as she stood up and raced to the door to look inside. She knew she would see the source, then close the door, lift Clark out of the room and they would soon be flying through the air. _Away from danger … towards the heavens, towards everything they have waited two years to experience together._

Yet when she looked inside, the room was completely empty.

Chloe sighed in exasperation, and turned quickly around, her eyes scanning the room as she did so. The room was not that large, maybe the size of the living room in her apartment. Though the room did have a desk, a file cabinet, and a coat rack – evidence of someone's existence here – the rest of the room was completely bare. Like a scene from a 1940's gangster movie – _the office of the gumshoe, decorated only in the essentials because he uses all his available time searching for his foes._

The desk across the room did have drawers, prompting Chloe to move across the room with haste to look inside of them. Yet when she pulled each one out, and threw each drawer's contents chaotically onto the floor behind her, nothing inside hinted of kryptonite. A conclusion that quickly fed Chloe pounds of helplessness and loss, fully aware that she might never find the kryptonite. Something she was not ready to accept yet, despite how futile her efforts in this situation might become.

_Where was it?_

Chloe turned from the desk and saw the mess she created in her drastic search. She sighed deeply and moved back over to Clark again, seeing the color in his face begin to drain a little bit at a time. In seeing that, Chloe was sure the kryptonite had to be here somewhere, its effectiveness on Clark too apparent to miss. Her mind started to think through scenarios frantically, a desperate brainstorm for anything that might help them.

Maybe she _would_ have to physically move him from the room. As time began to tick away, Chloe could not dismiss that possibility.

In fact, Chloe knew that was exactly what she had to do.

With determination, she ran to him and reached for his arms, ready to pull him towards the door – until … until she saw it. She saw it … on his finger …

_The glow of a green pulse … _

_So strong … so powerful … _

It's waves of poison surging through Clark's veins again and again …

Chloe felt her heart leap with excitement, dropped his left arm, and moved to his right, specifically the hand, seeing the ring of kryptonite on his ring finger. She couldn't believe the source was directly under her nose the entire time; something she should have assumed before all of this frantic searching began. They could have been out of here in two seconds if she would have thought of that before. But that very latter thought – not even thinking the kryptonite might actually be _on him_, was the reason she never looked.

Though the ring on his finger, in her defense, was hidden rather well because it was turned the opposite way – towards the palm - she knew she really had to get the hang of this kryptonite stuff again.

With a smile, she started to remove it …

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The voice stopped Chloe's progress and forced her to look up into the shadows ahead of her. Shadows she didn't notice before, or, at least, didn't think needed attention. Through the darkness, Chloe saw an outline of a still figure watching her every move. And her assumptions of all of this possibly being a game were right on. _At least I got something right, _she chided quietly.

Blinking, Chloe asked angrily, "Who are you?"

The man revealed himself in two steps. And under the fluorescent light above them, Chloe saw exactly who it was.

She noticed further – he was holding a pistol.

Suddenly … everything made sense.

And in a low voice, she said his name.

"Peterson."

He smiled and pointed to the unconscious Clark. "You're better at that than he was."

Chloe fought with the idea of just taking the ring off and dealing with the consequences. But she pushed that idea aside, knowing he would not only shoot her, but also Clark, who was still very weak from his exposure. Both of them could be dead quickly if she took that chance. So with a resigned sigh, she dropped his hand gently and stood up straight, keeping her eyes glued to the man before her.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly in the stillness of the room around them.

Peterson shrugged. "I want Clark Kent dead."

The words chilled Chloe to the bone. But she didn't show how they affected her, and snapped, "Those are lofty aspirations."

Peterson smiled. "They told me you were feisty."

"_Who_ told you?"

Peterson walked a little closer to them, his eyes dancing with the clear advantage he had here. Part of him wanted to tell her everything, only so she knew how screwed both she and Clark were. To remind them exactly who they were dealing with here. But he knew that would not be wise, especially under the circumstances. He looked to his watch, knowing precious seconds still ticked away. "It won't matter much in seven minutes."

Chloe smirked. "Well, when you leave, we'll be dead from the explosion, anyway. So why not tell me?" She paused to study him. "I know you want to."

Peterson shook his head. "It's something you really don't need to know." Then he pointed to Clark again and began to pace slightly. "I know what this man can do. I've seen it. And I won't leave without ensuring that everything is finished."

Chloe looked to Clark, his head now tilted a bit to the left. She then stepped around and in front of him, a move to protect Clark. Blocking him from Peterson's view. She would probably not have a chance to survive this. If anything, Clark was still their best chance. And she was willing to do whatever she needed to guard his safety. _To give them both a chance._

Above all … Clark's destiny was much more important than her own.

"But if you don't hurry, you won't make it out of here yourself," Chloe pointed out, her eyes, her confidence unwavering under Peterson's relentless glare.

Peterson nodded. "You're right." A pause. He then lifted his pistol to her, seeing her eyes grow with fear in response. "But, see, I can't leave you alive, either. You've seen me. And I know what will happen if I leave you two here by yourselves. You'll make it out … somehow, you'll make it. So now … I _have_ to kill _both_ of you. And due to time constraints, as you've suggested, I should get this over with right now."

Chloe felt breath quickly leave her lungs in anticipation of what was sure to come. And she hoped – prayed – that something would happen. Anything to save them. Some miracle, especially since she was sure they deserved one. After everything they've been through, something had to break. Something had to step in and change the destructive course they were currently set on.

She wondered then if anything would have been different if – if she and Clark had stayed together two years ago. Would they even be here? Facing their deaths?

Maybe … maybe they would be in her apartment in Metropolis, spending the night away in each other's arms. Or maybe … maybe they would be in Clark's loft, laughing quietly in the shadows of the darkness. Laughing at how the moment took them when they least expected to. Laughing because they somehow, someway, ended up on one of his Native American blankets on the floor, wrapped up in each other to guard from the inevitable cold, night air.

Maybe … maybe they would be in _their _home. In _their _bed, watching the sun come up on some lazy, Sunday morning. Knowing they would not move from that spot the entire day.

_Maybe … _

Her eyes focused back on the present, on the pistol aimed directly towards her, on the clear intent weaved intricately in Peterson's eyes.

From Chloe's spot, however, she didn't see Clark behind her. Nor did Peterson. Hidden so much so that neither of them saw his eyes open slightly, and his head tilt up to see the dire situation above him. It took him only a second to realize what was happening. He heard their voices just above him, but he couldn't understand much under the fog of kryptonite. However, he did see the pistol. Though he remained weak … _so weak_ … he knew he had to do something. Because Chloe needed him, despite the pain.

Clark closed his eyes, called on any strength he could muster, a strength that would only come from deep inside him. A strength powered by the only thing he had left – love. _Love_ for his best friend. _Love_ for his true lover. _Love_ for the one that has risked everything for him. _Love … for his savior_.

His eyelids glided open, and, instantly, Clark blew breath as hard as he could towards Peterson's pistol. It was the one power he didn't use that often, but one that tended to come in handy when he could do nothing else. This moment was one of those times. And though his efforts didn't feel effective, because he knew how powerful his breath could be when he had full strength, Clark saw what he needed to see.

Peterson's pistol flew from his hand and across the room.

Though Chloe wasn't exactly sure how it happened, she didn't care. What she saw, above all else, was the opening she needed. And in the split second Peterson used to understand how he lost his pistol, Chloe rushed him with power behind her intentions. Wasting no time, she slammed a fist into the side of his face. Because Peterson was taken by surprise, Chloe's strike almost caused him to lose his balance as he stutter stepped back a few feet in result.

Chloe rushed him again, ready to slam him against the wall behind them, but this time Peterson caught on. He grabbed her wrists before they could do any damage, and suddenly Chloe felt herself pushed up against the wall instead. She tried to push him off of her, especially when her eyes caught on to the pistol about fifteen feet directly to her right. _If I can … get to the gun, I might be able to really get rid of this guy._

Behind them, Clark fought the pain and tried to sit up, knowing Chloe needed his help now more than ever. But he could do nothing until he took off the kryptonite ring. Only then could he make a real difference. Only then could he save both he and Chloe from the imminent explosion. If he could get to Chloe with only a hint of his normal strength, they might be okay.

_Because the further away I move from the kryptonite, the stronger I will become. The faster I will be._

Clark groaned a bit and lifted his head to see Chloe's progress with Peterson. Whatever advantage he gave her when he blew the gun out of Peterson's hand was only momentary. Because now he had her pushed up against the wall, rather viciously in Clark's suddenly disgusted eyes. And before he could stand to help her, he watched in vain and shock as Peterson threw Chloe towards the adjacent, left wall almost twenty feet away. She fell roughly on her side, and her head hit the ground with a loud thud. An injury that quickly sent her into unconsciousness.

Anger suddenly fueled Clark's heart, and with a loud groan, gritting his teeth to help him with the pain, he pulled the kryptonite ring off of his finger – and threw it quickly to the other side of the room. Though still very weak, he stood, and watched as Peterson rushed to the pistol ten feet in front of Chloe's lifeless body. An act, Clark knew, might be both he and Chloe's undoing if Peterson reached the pistol first.

As if automatically, despite his weakness, Clark rushed Peterson as fast as he could – a bit faster than normal human speed. _At least I have some of my abilities back._ The effects of the kryptonite lingered, however - it's venomous presence still like oil in his blood. But he tried desperately to ignore it, to remember that Chloe needed him. His best efforts were needed, no matter what the outcome. Just so, when it was all over, he knew he did everything he could.

Suddenly, Clark's thoughts were broken up by the here and now. Despite his speed, he could not catch up to Peterson before he grabbed the pistol. Yet Clark did prevent him from doing anything useful with it by picking Peterson up and throwing him against the wall. Though he felt stronger, able to punch him a few times across the face, Clark could not keep his balance well when Peterson pushed him, sending both of them flying back hard against the floor below. He yelped when he landed, his back screaming in pain.

Clark quickly felt a bit winded and a little disoriented due to the fall, his head swirling about, the room turning above him like a tornado. He knew he would still be slightly vulnerable to Peterson's own attacks due to his length of exposure to the kryptonite. Invulnerability was always the last to restore itself completely in his equilibrium once his poison was taken away.

Peterson had landed next to him, losing the pistol when he hit the ground. He watched with disgust as it flew forward a few feet away. Before he scrambled for it, however, he knew it was in his best interest to handicap Clark when the chance arose. So he moved quickly beside Clark and punched him across the face and the stomach a few times, instantly surprised to see blood ooze from the younger man's lip. Once he disoriented his opponent further, he could then go after the gun and end this quickly.

Clark couldn't move much, still dizzy from the fall, and now by Peterson's dulling strikes to his face and stomach. It took him a few seconds to realize his assailant was suddenly gone, precious seconds he knew might be his own downfall. _I need to keep up with the fight. Any slip … any mistake, and both Chloe and I are finished for good. _

With that thought strong in his mind, Clark quickly stood to see Peterson on the other side of the room, gun in hand, pointed directly at him.

"You put up a good fight, Mr. Kent. I think you are what they said you were," Peterson replied, smiling at the fact that he actually wounded the stronger man standing before him.

The smile grew larger as he pulled the trigger.

The shot rang loudly – echoed against the walls around them. And quickly Clark felt himself drift into slow motion, could see the bullet coming towards him second by second. When it came upon him, however, he had enough strength left to dodge it, then run quickly to the unknowing Peterson ahead of him. Instead of stopping his speed, Clark kept it up, and rammed his shoulder directly into Peterson's chest, sending them across the room and against the far wall.

They landed there with a loud crash, and when Clark looked up finally, he could see the clear pain in Peterson's eyes. He also felt the gun was still between them, and Clark moved his hands to fight for it. Peterson, however, held onto it tightly, and refused to let go, even when Clark nailed his elbow across his mouth to gain some advantage. With his hands immobilized between his body and his assailants, Peterson did the only thing he could.

He pulled the trigger again.

Clark looked to him with surprise; almost certain he would feel pain deep in his gut due to the bullet. But instead, he watched with a tinge of satisfaction, as Peterson fell motionless to the ground. The bullet, however, did not hit Peterson in the stomach. It hit him straight in the heart, and Clark knew he didn't have to check for sure. He knew he could leave here, knowing his secret was safe. Knowing he and Chloe would probably make it out of here, as long as he hurried.

He knew life would be okay now.

_Because James Peterson was dead._

Clark looked to his watch – five minutes to go - and did not take an extra second more. He sped quickly to Chloe, picked her up protectively in his arms, and ran like a speeding bullet out of the room.

------------------------------------------------

Lois watched as Lex led them to a door on the main level – the door that would lead them to the outside. To safety, finally, after days of unbearable captivity. Though she was known for getting into trouble often, this time Lois knew she really bit the bullet. She stretched nine lives as far as they would go, and was alive to talk about it. To write about it, actually. And would she have a lot to say. Especially if Chloe and Clark did not make it.

_Chloe … Clark … _

Lex led them out the door and into the night air, humid as it was. Lois could feel the sweat across her brow and on her neck, but gave it no more attention than that. Would only stop when they were yards and yards away from the inevitable explosion. Just as she wished, Lex ran across the street, and then into the tall, vacant lots of grass and concrete to hide behind the building that sat forty feet in front of the warehouse. It would be a good spot to wait, to watch, to see if their friends made it out okay.

In seconds, Lex, Lana, and Lois stopped about twenty yards behind the building they would use as a shield against the blast. All three looked towards the warehouse. All three, anxious to see if they made a mistake leaving Chloe behind. All three waiting to see if they would ever see their friends again.

Lana looked to her watch, noting a minute had gone by. _Now four minutes left, _she thought sadly, cursing herself for not pushing Chloe to follow them. Or, better yet, push to help her find Clark. She loved Chloe so much, her friendship so very dear to her heart.

But, knowing Clark was in there, too, and possibly fighting for his life … Lana couldn't place it, really. The feelings inside of her. The feelings that found a new existence. New life. And though she wished nothing but happiness for Clark and Chloe, she also could not fight the pang of jealousy that suddenly surged through her heart. However, Lana knew that wasn't fair. She needed to give her friends the chance to make their special relationship happen.

That is … if they made it out of this at all.

And the pang of jealousy that Lana once felt was soon replaced by disgust and deep sadness. Over all, Chloe and Clark were her two best friends. Have been since high school.

She couldn't bear to think of a life without them.

Beside her, Lois sighed deeply. And in a hushed whisper, pleaded, "Chloe … Clark … where are you?"

Lana began to cry.

They weren't following them, like each had hoped. And she said the words no one else dared to.

"I don't think they're going to make it."

_To be continued in next section … _


	20. Chapter 20

Clark pulled Chloe a little closer to his body as he ran. He could tell his speed was a little slower than usual, despite how fast the world passed his vision. He could only hope that he was fast enough to get both he and Chloe to safety before it was too late. Though he wanted to, he refrained from glancing to his watch to see how much longer they had until the building exploded. Not knowing that seemed to push him harder and faster, and convinced him they still had a chance to see the outside world.

Convinced him, further, that a life with Chloe would be his reward.

The gray hallway of the bottom level soon turned into the dark, dingy hallway that led to stairs. Stairs that led to the top, led to the warehouse, and led to the rest of their lives. Clark tried to concentrate on just moving as fast as he could, but with the woman he loved unconscious in his arms, he couldn't help but think of her, as well. To realize how extremely lucky he was to have someone like Chloe Sullivan care for him so much. He knew that if not for her, he would probably be dead.

A morbid way to see the situation, but an honest one.

And it was something Clark truly could not believe. _She risked so much for me …_

He loved few other women in the past. When the steps came into view ahead of him and he climbed them in only a second's time, Clark began to realize that those he thought he loved did not even compare to Chloe. She was the same woman who tested him day in and day out, who challenged him, and accepted him when no one else would. The woman that could give him a day's worth of love, and it would be enough to fulfill him for a lifetime.

The power of such a confession surprised Clark to the depths of his heart.

And he knew, immediately, that he had wasted two years of his life being angry. An emotion that often disgusted Clark, something he hated to be. Worse yet, his anger was directed towards the one person it should not have been. He should have known she would never cheat on him, or hurt him. His love for her told him that two years ago, but he refused to listen. A surprising realization that set him back in his place, and then quickly reminded him, further, why he always wanted to be with Chloe. Why, being with her for those few days before they separated made him happier than any other moment in his life.

Why … he dreamt of her endless nights, waiting for her to come to him, waiting for her to be with him, waiting for her to love him like no one else can. Waiting for her breath, her touch on his skin, and her heart to beat in rhythm with his own. For the comfort of her words, of her body pressed against his, of her eyes that brought nothing but intimacy and understanding.

And Clark knew loving her was why he lived at all.

So intense the thought, that it stilled his soul.

Somehow, Clark would have to make up the time they lost. Somehow, he would show her how much he loved her. How much he craved to be with her. How much he wanted to be her man and no one else's. How much he wanted to be the lover she always dreamt of. And remind her _they have been_, _are now_, _and always will be _soul mates begging to be together again. Begging to never be separated. Begging to be one forevermore.

Clark felt his thoughts melt underneath the darkness of the warehouse at the top of the stairs. He instantly ran left, towards the garage doors at the back of the warehouse, remembering that behind them were miles of empty desert. An obstacle-free landscape he knew would be best if he was forced to fly away from the building if the situation called for it. Though he didn't think he would have to, Clark knew it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially with a still unconscious Chloe in his arms.

Clark turned slightly, bent his head and shot through the garage door like it was paper, choosing to make an exit to the outside rather than look for one. And when the night air filled his nostrils, he almost let a small smile cross the line of his lips.

That thought, however, faded quickly when Clark suddenly heard the building explode behind him. The sound from the blast echoed in his ears, and the intensity of the heat climbed his back in seconds. Since he was only fifty feet away from the building when the bomb went off, the speed of the rolling fire and debris from the blast caught up with him rather quickly. And though he tried to out run it, maybe even lift both he and Chloe off the ground before it had a chance to catch up, it was no use.

The fire and debris soon began to encircle them.

Because everything happened so instantaneously, Clark didn't have time to do anything but feel when the power of the explosion suddenly pushed them twenty feet through the air. Luckily, he had enough forethought to turn just enough to ensure only he landed on the ground, letting Chloe land on top of him rather than he on top of her. And just as the fire and debris approached, he flipped her over so she was below him and then covered her body completely with his own.

In seconds, the remnants of the explosion engulfed them completely.

Clark closed his eyes then - against the fire, against the debris, and against the world entirely. And concentrated only on the woman below him, her breath still even and steady as it brushed across the base of his neck. The flowery fragrance of her perfume drifted to his nose, the strong scent quickly overpowering the air around them, and it caused Clark's heart to flutter in response. With the familiar scent came the memory of the past two days.

Above all, he remembered what it took for each of them to reach this point. The courage they needed to find. The danger they fought through. The demons they faced. And the challenges they overcame. Most importantly, Clark remembered the first step that both he and Chloe took that first night – the first time they saw each other in almost two years. Knowing Lois was more important than any feud that might still be brewing between them, they took the case on together.

Now, Clark's anger had passed away. The feud gone completely from his heart. And in its place came gratitude, understanding, and, of course, love.

Clark knew that something major happened during these past two days. It was something separate from finding Lois, from the case, and angry CEOs blowing up buildings. Before Clark took on this case, before an estranged Chloe showed up on his doorstep, and before they searched far and wide for Lois - he was lost because of his father's death only a month ago. So lost and disconnected from the world that his mother began to worry about him. So deep in his reverie that he truly felt a prisoner to his own darkness.

And then, Chloe came back into this life – like a lost ship drifting back into the harbor of his broken heart. Though seemingly gone forever, she came to him triumphantly, and washed away all of his sorrow. Just with her smile alone, Clark felt his soul brighten. Felt the sunrise, and the shadows of his world disappear. And life began to happen around him again. As if it never stopped.

Though they fought at first meeting – and even many instances after that – Clark never doubted the love that came storming back into his heart with her return to Smallville, to his life. The love he was forced to brush off and set back on the mantle of his soul before he could show it again. A love that only strengthened in texture when Chloe eased his pain and brushed his tears away. When she loved him again. When she saved him in a way no one else could.

_Saved me … _

And if Clark had to venture a guess, he would say he saved her, as well. Because when Chloe returned, she carried a darkness of her own. Demons with no faces, and shadows over the very corners of her heart. Though she never really talked about it with him, Clark knew his presence helped. Because of him, the burden that once weighed her down was now gone, and a version of the Chloe Sullivan he fell in love with was alive again. But this version of Chloe Sullivan was still different in that she grew in her pain, yet struggled for definition.

_**I have a dream, a song to sing  
To help me cope with anything**_

While in Clark's presence, Chloe stopped blaming herself for the catastrophes of her life. While in his presence, she would search for her true identity again.

Finally, Clark opened his eyes.

_**If you see the wonder  
Of a fairy tale  
**_

Ashes from the explosion began to fall all around them. Like snow, the small, fiery flakes drifted ever so slowly to the ground. Some carried an orange glow in the center, while others came down as pure white. Though created violently, the flakes now seemed beautiful as they painted the night like fireflies. They formed constellations in their movement against the black, canvas sky, like that of the very stars above. And quickly they changed the terror filled moment into a dream.

_**You can take the future  
Even if you fail**_

Clark blinked in awe as he watched the ashes fall. When he looked down to Chloe to check her condition, he smiled when he saw her staring up at him.

Unable to say much due to the sudden, intense emotion caught in his throat, he merely greeted warmly, "Hey."

_**I believe in angels  
Something good in everything I see**_

Chloe smiled at him in return, and answered him in a soft whisper. "Hey."

Clark searched her eyes then, trying to find meaning, perhaps discover her thoughts in this unforgettable moment. Because he knew, no matter what happened now, he would forever remember this; laying in the desert with Chloe in his arms, while orange and white specks encircled them in a peace meant only for this night, for this moment, and for them alone.

_**I believe in angels  
When I know the time is right for me  
I'll cross the stream  
I have a dream**_

Before Clark could say anything, to ask if she was okay, Chloe's eyebrows turned down in a grimace. She noticed blood lingered at the edge of his mouth, and she quickly assumed Peterson had something to do with it. But on closer examination, Chloe saw there was no wound – a testament to Clark's returning powers. And with a careful touch, she reached a hand there, and wiped the small drops of blood off of his face.

_**I have a dream, a fantasy  
To help me trough reality**_

Chloe then realized she was crying when she felt the tears pool at the corner of her eyes. They blurred her vision slightly, even when she tried to blink them away. And as one descended down the side of her temple, Clark reached his hand to it, and wiped the tear away. Tears from her joy rather than her sadness. A promise of good things to come.

_**And my destination  
Makes it worth the while**_

Chloe sighed softly and looked deeply into Clark's eyes, let her hands cup his face, and whispered with a smile, "You did it. You saved us."

_**Pushing through the darkness  
Still another mile**_

Clark returned her deep gaze and shook his head. And when his own tears began to form, and then stream down his face, he felt Chloe dab them gently with the touch of her thumbs to his cheeks. Saw her face fill with concern for him. Though his emotions tried to make it difficult for him to talk, he knew he had to say this. Even if it took a little longer, Clark would not let this moment go without these words.

_**I believe in angels  
Something good in everything I see**_

And after a few seconds to gain his composure, he finally whispered it, the love in his voice thick with tenderness.

_**I believe in angels  
When I know the time is right for me**_

_**I'll cross the stream  
I have a dream**_

"No … we saved each other."

Chloe smiled then pulled him in for a sweet kiss.

_**I'll cross the stream**_

_**I have a dream**_

--------------

_**end of main story … **_


	21. Epiloge: I Have A Dream

**Epilogue: I Have A Dream – One Week Later**

Chloe sat quietly, alone, on the couch in the living room of the Kent farmhouse. Outside, the evening was quickly turning into twilight, the sun beginning its descent behind the far off horizon. Because of that, the house around her began to drift into the nighttime feel. The only illumination on the first floor was the small light just above the sink in the spotless kitchen, quite the contrast to only a few hours before when dinner was served. Everything was completely quiet save for the soft hum of the refrigerator, and the chirp of crickets in the summer air. The house, once bustling with activity, now lay still in the evening hours.

Before her, the fire sparked and crackled, it's light casting a soft glow on her face. In her lap was the journal she sometimes wrote in when investigating a case. Currently, Chloe was writing rather diligently, her hand desperately trying to keep up with her racing thoughts. She rarely wrote on paper anymore. Her computer tended to be the best place to write articles. But, at the moment, she felt a need to address thoughts from the previous week she spent mostly in deep investigation of the Peterson case.

_Odd,_ Chloe thought. _The center of the case changed from Lois to Peterson._

Actually, she couldn't believe that a week had passed already since she and Clark returned from Las Vegas with a safe Lois in their possession. Since then, Chloe and Lois made it a point to go deeper in the case, to understand why Peterson committed so many crimes. Though they wished there was a better explanation, at the moment both could only come up with money as the true driving force. _And power,_ Chloe added. But what never made sense, and still doesn't, is Peterson's obvious hatred for Clark.

And that subject was where her thoughts centered on at the moment:

_I have not even tried to understand why Peterson chased after Clark. Why he created such a devastating trap for him. I am at a loss for words with that current mystery – and worried because Peterson knew exactly what to do to kill Clark. And even though I should feel at peace because Peterson is dead, I don't. If everything in this case, from the massive accidents to the kidnapping of Lois, were all a ploy to capture Clark, then my next question would be why. _

_But even as I ask that, I know the answer. Somehow, Peterson knew about Clark's powers. And I know that fact alone might have been the one and only reason he wanted to kill him._

Chloe stopped writing with that thought, aware that Peterson might be the first in a long line to go after Clark because of his special abilities. It scared her, actually - mainly because Peterson almost succeeded. And she wondered if Clark would be able to dodge the bullet again. If he would be able to survive another long bought with kryptonite, as crippling as that is for him. Whether he would admit it or not, in the last week, Chloe could tell Clark was drained. And she knew it mainly had to do with the still lingering effects of the kryptonite.

Maybe the physical effects were gone, but certainly the mental remained, as the experience reminded Clark of his own mortality, though different from humans. _He was reminded of his vulnerability._

Not to mention, Clark wasn't sleeping well, either. Chloe could not say from _personal experience_ if that were true, but she could see the exhaustion in his eyes. Though she questioned him about it a few times, he dismissed it as nothing important, due mainly to his work on the farm. But Chloe knew, with his powers, doing the farm work rarely made him break a sweat. Furthermore, she knew his reaction to her questions was expected, especially from someone who rarely let anyone in, even her.

With her thoughts suddenly centered on Clark, Chloe looked up from her journal to sense where he might be in the house. She felt the sudden urge to find him and be with him. Especially since she would be leaving for Metropolis in a few hours. Though they were together, both knew the difficulties that would come with their new relationship. Distance was only one of them, despite how easily Clark could come to her. The second was her job, which often demanded weeks away from home in some foreign land, investigating a case.

Chloe set her journal down on the coffee table and stood up. She stretched a bit, working the kinks out of her stiff body caused by the hours she sat still. She tried to remember one of the last times she saw Clark today, which was just after dinner. He left the moment they were finished eating, claiming he needed air. Only then did Chloe realize she hadn't seen him since. Her eyes grimaced with concern as she walked to the screen door in the kitchen, convinced he must be in the loft.

But when she stepped out on the porch, Chloe saw him standing there by himself. Clark was looking away from her, his body up against the railing, arms folded, and his eyes fixed on the dying sun. He looked amazing, the same when she first saw him more than a week ago. He wore the same white shirt, though this time it was clean rather than riddled with stains from farm chores, and the same faded jeans that fit him perfectly from behind.

Chloe smiled in spite of herself, aware ogling him would not help his melancholy state. But she then thought playfully, _it wouldn't hurt, would it?_

Finally he turned, obviously sensing her presence. He dropped his arms to his sides, and smiled warmly. "Hey."

Chloe smiled wide. "Hey yourself."

Clark noted how beautiful she looked tonight. Well, she always looked beautiful, whether she was in a dress or just jeans and a tank top. The latter was what she wore on this hot, summer night, and Clark had trouble fighting the blush that rose to his cheeks. Because he knew he was staring. But rather than look away, he stretched his hand out to her, inviting her into his embrace. And he remembered, further, that now it was okay to stare at her with longing in his eyes.

Chloe stepped forward and grabbed his hand, letting him pull her slowly into his arms. She reached up and kissed him lightly, then wrapped her arms around his waist and settled her head on his chest. She could hear his heart pounded rhythmically under her ear, and she quickly noticed it was beating a little faster than usual. She smiled softly, finding comfort in the fact that she turned him on with just a kiss.

Clark rubbed her back slowly with his hands, feeling the tension inside of him ease while in the embrace of the woman he loved. He then realized how often this had happened during the past week. How often he and Chloe spent hours in each other's arms, each trying to forget how close they came to losing their lives. How close their world was almost shattered for good.

Chloe seemed to notice his tension, his thoughts, and asked quietly, "Is everything okay?" Because she knew the difference between a mostly happy Clark and a distressed Clark, especially when she was in his arms. At the moment, she could feel his stress, despite how lovingly he hugged her.

Clark buried his face in the crook of her neck for a moment before pulling back just enough to look at her. He nodded slightly then admitted in a soft voice, "Just thinking about Dad."

"Yeah," Chloe whispered quietly, knowing he would. Knowing his mood now made sense. She was also surprised with how well both Clark and Mrs. Kent seemed to be dealing with the death of Mr. Kent. Since she's been here, Chloe has yet to see Clark's mother cry. And as a way to show some positive in such a possibly dim conversation, Chloe decided to mention it. "Your mother's handling it really well."

Clark smiled a little. "Yeah, she's been … great. I don't know how she's been able to do it." The time away from the farm seemed to agree with his mother. She was able to really mourn, to cry for the loss. But then, further, it gave his mother a chance to think of life without her husband. Clark would be lying if he said he didn't think of doing the same thing – just getting away from all of it. And in the next breath, he added quietly, "It's been really difficult for both of us."

They really haven't talked about this yet, but Chloe knew the death of Clark's father would be an issue for their new relationship. It was something he would still need her support for, even though a month has already passed since his death. Chloe could sense Clark has not been able to mourn yet – at least, not the way Clark needs to mourn, the way he needs to release the building emotion. And though Chloe's presence has initially been a wonderful relief for him, she also knew this was only the beginning to the long process of moving on.

And through it all, Chloe was ready. She would be there for him, help him, be his strength. She was ready for that role.

Chloe caressed his cheek softly with her fingertips, pulling his attention to her, to her words. "It's okay to miss him."

Clark sighed deeply, stepped out of Chloe's embrace, and moved slowly back to the railing. His eyes fell to the horizon again, and he watched as the sun was finally engulfed completely within the night sky. He knew he should talk about his father's death, especially since he has yet been able to do so with anyone. But he also knew now was not the time. Not that Chloe wouldn't listen to him, hold him, and comfort him. But he just didn't feel like spending his last few moments with her under such sadness.

And really … he just didn't feel like talking about it right now. However, he knew he would eventually. And he knew Chloe would be waiting for him when he was ready.

Finally, he whispered, "Yeah, I know." After a minute went by and she didn't say anything, he decided to change the subject. "Have you found anything new in the Peterson investigation today?"

Chloe was slightly surprised with Clark's reaction, only because she didn't anticipate he would move away from her completely. Obviously, she pushed the limit of this subject past Clark's current comfort zone, and he responded in the way he felt best. However, she did expect him to turn the conversation in a different direction – a clear sign that he was finished talking about his father altogether. It certainly didn't bother Chloe, because she understood. Not to forget, their relationship was still very young, and she didn't believe he would open up about something this sensitive so soon. Just as she, too, would probably hold back if the roles were reversed.

But soon, the intimacy they both craved would come. And it would come when they were ready.

"No, not really," she finally said softly, breaking her thoughts. She walked to the porch railing, and leisurely rubbed her hands across the top. The texture of the wood was smooth against her fingertips. A second passed, and finally she smirked, adding sarcastically, "I feel like we're trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together, and all the important pieces fell on the floor and were sucked up in the vacuum cleaner."

Clark smiled at her sarcasm. She could always make him smile in any situation. Right now, he welcomed the unique comfort, happy to move on to another subject without the need for an explanation. Happy to know Chloe accepted it without hesitation. And in the next moment, judging by the very sarcasm that made him smile, he knew it might be his turn in the conversation to listen and offer comfort.

"Still nothing on Jewel incorporated yet?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

Chloe sighed and folded her arms, the frustration in her eyes clear. "Definitely not. When we investigated before, we did find a little bit of information. But now … nothing. It's _all_ gone. Almost as if the company took a wrong turn and ended up in the official 'as if it never existed' black hole of business."

Throughout the past week, when he wasn't doing farm chores, Clark tried to help Chloe and Lois in the investigation. It amazed him how hard they both worked to find answers, their efforts spilling over into his own heart. Because of that, he shared Chloe's frustration, and he understood her confusion and disgust. When he looked out towards the night sky again, he finally said, irritated, "I just can't believe a corporation can just disappear like that. Even with the building gone, there should still be some record of it."

"I don't know," Chloe whispered. She then walked to the porch swing, sat down, and folded her hands in her lap. "But I'm not worried about companies going AWOL, or missing my deadline because our evidence is slim. What worries me is the ghost of a dead CEO."

Clark's brow furrowed with a mix of intrigue and concern. He knew there was something else bothering her, but he pegged it to their lack of success in the case. Obviously, this was something else entirely, something she kept hidden from him since they returned from Las Vegas. So he moved to the porch swing and sat down next to her, wanting to be close to her as she continued, showing her his support. "What do you mean?"

The moment she spoke of it, Chloe regretted the decision to mention anything at all. For the past week she kept all of her worries, or _theories, _to herself, mainly because she knew the troubles Clark was already trying to survive. The last thing he needed was a reminder of how close Peterson came to killing him. Or, worse yet, her belief that more would come in Peterson's place – more would try to accomplish what he couldn't. It was a worry that kept her up late into the night, and was the primary reason for her own exhaustion.

However, though she believed the best way to protect Clark was to not tell him about her theories, Chloe realized now that perhaps her efforts were misplaced. If anything, the best way to protect Clark _was_ to tell him so he could watch his own back. Not to mention the relief Chloe would feel to know that she was not alone with her worries. And it's not as if she could fight off Clark's enemies by herself. Especially if they were professionals such as Peterson, the very same people her theories predicted would come for Clark sometime in the future.

And before she could convince herself not to, Chloe began her confession, and said, "It just really felt like Peterson new way too much about you. Like he made sure to read your biography before he met you, or something. Maybe not your entire life's history, but certainly the Cliff's Notes version." She paused for a second to look right in Clark's eyes, to stress her worry, her fears. "But, regardless, he knew about your powers, and he knew your weakness. And it worries me."

Clark quickly replied, "But Peterson is dead. He can't hurt us now."

"But his contacts aren't," Chloe said. "The web is much too thick. There's no way for us to know whom he told about your powers. Or, worse yet, who originally told him. He covered his tracks far too well. And you even said when you originally entered the room that behind that lead door were blocks and blocks of kryptonite. Which means _someone _still has it, and probably saved it to use again."

Chloe's worries were justified, and Clark knew it. Actually, he thought of the same possibility, the same scenarios, and wondered if somehow Peterson's conviction to see him dead, perhaps via someone he might have told or someone who worked for him, would eventually come back to haunt him in the future. Not to mention the blocks of kryptonite. They remained a mystery, as well, because their disappearance was still a shock.

Yet he did finally remember the last time he saw so much of it in one place.

_In LuthorCorp … when my mom was taken hostage, with Lionel Luthor, by thieves. Thieves stealing blocks and blocks of kryptonite in Lionel's safe. Thieves hired by Lex Luthor._

For some reason, Clark neglected to tell Chloe that piece of information, but he realized it might be best to keep it to himself so as not to worry her further. However, he knew something needed to be said to reassure her, despite how unsure he really was about the entire situation. The best thing he could do was to be strong.

"That's all circumstantial. Maybe he told someone and maybe he didn't. I know it's a worry. But we just have to hope that everything will be okay," he said softly. "And we both know there will always be kryptonite somewhere."

However, Chloe refused to let it go.

"Clark, we've _just _gotten ourselves back together again. It's taken us two years to fix our mistakes, to get our lives back. I don't know if I can just look the other way, and hope some maniac doesn't blindside us. Especially when …," Chloe began, but her words suddenly trailed off. She didn't want to get emotional right now, especially when she was trying to make a point. Yet her words, her breath, the emotion started to catch in her throat with the very thought that somehow, someway they wouldn't see the inevitable coming because they refused to look for it.

And she cursed her weakness, aware of how stupid it must look to Clark - his needy girlfriend all messed up over something that may never happen.

Yet her emotion was to be expected.

Clark was the man she loved. She would always love him, no matter the circumstances. The two years apart from him taught her that. And she knew she would do whatever it took to keep him safe. Her commitment to him, to their love, to everything they meant to each other grew to enormous proportions when she saw him unconsciousness on the concrete floor only a week ago. As if reminded that he, too, can be taken from her. It was a version of reality she didn't give enough attention to. And it was the same truth that resurrected a love once buried completely beneath the murky waters of pain and regret.

Having that love again, seeing it in front of her, in the eyes of the man before her, Chloe knew she would never let it go.

Inching forward a little, Clark reached over and took her hand, urging her to continue. "What?"

Chloe took a deep breath, and fought back her tears. "Especially when," she replied, "I don't think I'm strong enough to lose you again."

Clark's heart fell. He wanted to say something, perhaps reassure her that nothing would happen. But he couldn't. Because, really, he didn't know how the future would unfold. And he would be lying if he said that no one would ever hurt either of them again, despite how badly he wanted to say it. Of course, it didn't help any when his own soul throbbed with the same worry, the same hurt as Chloe's, because he knew _he _would never survive _her _death, either. _If something were to happen to her because of me … _

However, he knew what he could do.

Clark reached a hand to her face, caressed her cheek lovingly, gently. Maybe he couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear. But he could tell her the truth, what would never falter. What she could count on forevermore.

In a whisper, he said, "I will never leave you."

Chloe looked down to her lap, saw her hand entwined in his, then back up into his beautiful eyes. She felt his other hand continue to caress her cheek gently, his touch unbelievable, warm and inviting as it stroked her skin. Strong and forever. A sensation, a passion she couldn't wait to lose herself in completely. And in that touch came excitement for the future, for the joy of togetherness that has finally come because they were able to shed their despair and loss entirely.

Moreover, she finally felt that, despite their worries and fears, they would be together forever, no matter what the cost. No matter the circumstances, or the danger. Nothing would stop them from having the future, the life they deserved. Such confidence was born from their love, and surged like electricity through her entire being.

While in his touch, under his eyes, and with these thoughts taking full time residence deep in her soul, Chloe finally felt complete.

_**I set out on a narrow way many years ago**_

_**Hoping I would find true love along the broken road**_

"Promise me," she requested – needing to hear it.

Clark bent forward and kissed her, his lips light and sweet. An act Chloe didn't necessarily expect, but welcomed lovingly. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. Though simple, his touch sent heat straight through her body, his passion calm yet clear and definite. After a few seconds, he slipped away very slowly, but lingered only a few inches from her.

_**But I got lost a time or two**_

_**Wiped my brow and kept pushing through**_

_**I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you**_

"I promise," he whispered. Then he kissed her left cheek, and drifted his lips close to her ear. "Now promise me."

Chloe felt a shiver travel down her spine, oddly excited by his words, his breath against her ear. She then reached up and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, felt the warmth of his skin, and the goose bumps underneath her fingertips. And with their cheeks pressed together now, her lips just above his ear, she whispered with a small smile, "I promise."

_**Every long lost dream led me to where you are**_

_**Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars**_

_**Pointing me on my way into your loving arms**_

Clark let his lips drift across her cheek before he kissed her again. Though their first kiss tonight was simple, this one was much more passionate. He felt his body tingle with excitement when she deepened the kiss further, opened up to him, and threaded her hands lightly through his hair. He let his hands roam, and his heart started to beat just a bit faster when his fingers suddenly found skin just above her jeans.

_**This much I know is true**_

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you **_

Chloe then slowed the passion down a bit, kissing him lightly, tracing his lips, lingering there, remembering where they were and knowing they couldn't let this get too far. Her hands drifted down from his neck and settled on his chest as she broke away from his lips completely. Just inches away from him, she tried to catch her breath, and smiled when she realized Clark was trying to do the same. _I guess I do have quite the power over him, _she thought playfully.

Though Clark would have loved to continue, let the passion take hold completely, this was hardly the place or the time for such escape. Not to mention, it was a little soon in their relationship to cross that line. Neither wanted to rush it, a lesson he learned during his relationship with Lana. When the moment was right, he and Chloe would embrace it together.

_**I think about the years I spent just passing through**_

_**I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you**_

Instead of fulfilling his fantasies, Clark sat back in the white, porch swing, and pulled Chloe with him. Content to hold her until he couldn't any longer. Content to feel her against him, and let his heart flutter just by being in her presence, in her life, in her love. All of that would always be good enough for him. Actually, it was more than enough. It was all he ever needed from now on – _to be with her_.

_**But you just smile and take my hand**_

_**You've been there you understand**_

_**It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true**_

Chloe snuggled closer to him, felt his arms encircle her completely, and settled her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. _Ironic_, she thought, _that, after everything, we're sitting in the very spot where we broke up two years ago. _In fact, she could hardly forget the past week. The two days she and Clark spent traveling Metropolis, then Las Vegas for a common goal, a common purpose.

_**Every long lost dream led me to where you are**_

_**Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars**_

However, her thoughts traveled a little further back than that. To the moment she drove back into Smallville, hoping she could face Clark again in the interest of saving Lois. She entered this world without ever knowing that the love she left behind two years ago still existed here. Never did she imagine such a possibility – never did she picture herself, a week later, sitting in Clark's protective embrace, snuggling up against him, feeling his body against hers.

_**Pointing me on my way into your loving arms**_

_**This much I know is true**_

During the past two years, did she ever believe this would happen again?

Somehow, Chloe knew, despite the sorrow, through the pain and the grief, and past the loneliness, she would eventually find the road home.

The road that led to love.

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you**_

_**One Month Later **_

Lex sat alone at a small table, outside, and in front of a coffee house within the busy streets of Florence, Italy. He took a sip of his coffee, and watched as people rushed by him, either on foot or on bicycles. In the middle of the town square just before him was a huge fountain that shot water almost ten feet into the air. In the small pool of that fountain, Lex could see copper and silver coins shimmering with every small ripple of the water's surface. He smiled when he felt the warm breeze rush by his face; the hot sun still a quite factor, though the fall season would approach the countryside soon.

On the table before him were a few papers of personal interest. Lex often used the quiet, serene atmosphere of Italy as a way to unwind, relax, and think on what he should do next in important matters. In his hand was a matter that needed specific attention – a telegram. It came just a few minutes ago, and though he's already read it a few times, he decided to read it again.

_To: Mr. Luthor_

_Jewel Incorporated is completely shut down, and LuthorCorp has now absorbed the newly acquired companies. STOP _

_Despite attempts, Kent boy still alive. But Peterson is dead. However, kryptonite rocks were saved. STOP_

_Efforts to kill Kent will continue. _

_END_

Lex set it down on the table. He mused over the last few months with a small smirk, happy with the turnout. Jewel Incorporated, the company he named after his deceased younger brother, Julian, was created for one purpose - to take his competitors out. Something he was able to do with great success. However, he could not say his efforts were completely successful, because Clark was still alive.

_**Now I'm just rollin' home into my lover's arms**_

Though he still felt a friendly attachment to Clark, Lex could not help but remember his father's advice; dispose of all enemies, present and future. Of course, Clark was not _really_ his enemy yet. But for some reason, Lex could not shake the instinct that someday his estranged friend would be. Killing him now seemed the best way to get a jumpstart on the inevitable, especially when Clark wouldn't suspect anything.

_**This much I know is true**_

_**That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you**_

Lex did feel a little angry because he was not able to fulfill his main goal. He would try again, of course. When given a challenge, he never backed down. And though Lex did not know for sure if the kryptonite had an affect on Clark, he would try that again, as well.

Yet, with every cloud, there was always a silver lining.

_**That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you**_

Lex felt a hand on his right shoulder, and then a kiss to his cheek.

"Ready to go?" Lana asked.

**_(fade out song)_**

_**The End … **_


End file.
